RETURN JOURNEY?: A huge Ganesh idol being carted away in a truck during salvage operations launched at the Hussainsagar on Thursday. — Photo: P.V.Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: Even as the last of the Ganesh idols were being immersed in the Hussainsagar, the Buddha Purnima Project Authority (BPPA) launched salvage operations for removing the debris from Thursday after-noon as per the High Court directive.

Following the concern raised by environmentalists regarding pollution of the Hussainsagar due to immersion of thousands of idols, the High Court directed the Government and HUDA to ensure removal of debris from the lake within 48 hours after the immersion.

Delayed start

"We were ready with cranes, labour, tippers right from this morning. But with immersion of idols, including Khairatabad continuing till 1 p.m., the retrieval of debris could commence only around 2 p.m," said Ramesh Chandra Deputy Excutive Engineer, BPPA.

Some 40 tippers with debris retrieved from the lake till 5.30 p.m. were sent to the Jawaharnagar dumping yard. About 50 per cent of the debris, mostly from the shore area, was retrieved in about three hours, he claimed and added that the remaining debris would be removed by Friday evening.

Statistics today

Meanwhile, the Pollution Control Board and National Green Cadets who logged in each and every idol immersed in the Hussainsagar on the basis of the size and nature of paint used, would release the total statistics on Friday and submit the same to the court.

Against this figure, the quantity of debris removed from the lake would give an idea of how much debris could be actually retrieved, it is said.

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