Notify places to immerse Ganesh idols soon: NGT tells collectors

CHENNAI:  The southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed collectors of all districts to notify the places for immersion of Ganesh idols during Vinayagar Chaturthi festival and penalize if anyone immerses idols in unnotified water bodies.

The instruction was given while hearing a case filed by Samalapuram Pallapalayam Periakulam Pasana Vivasayigal Sangam that sought protection of Samalapuram Lake in Tiruppur district from pollution by immersing the idols.

According to the applicant, the Vinayagar idols are made of Plaster of Paris and they have been painted for the purpose of commercial use.

After the pooja, the entire community of a village or town or district bring these Vinayagar idols to be immersed in the water bodies available in the locality which causes severe pollution and damage to the lake.

Pointing out a press release issued by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) that said the idols should be immersed only at notified places, the Tribunal observed "so, in this regard, we direct the District Administration to notify the place for immersion of idols at each locality not only in the district of Tiruppur but the entire State of Tamil Nadu on or before 11.09.2023 and publicize the same to make the people be aware of it to protect any of the existing lakes/water bodies intended for drinking and other purposes."

The Tribunal also directed the local authorities to ensure that no idols are immersed in any of the water bodies other than notified water bodies, and if anyone violated, the local authority should penalize them under the 'Polluter Pays' principle.