The ghats along the Yamuna remained strewn with religious offerings on Saturday, a day after Durga Puja celebrations culminated with the immersion of idols.
Seven ghats had been prepared by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department with designated spots for idols to be immersed and another area for flowers and other religious materials. As per a National Green Tribunal order, religious offerings can’t be thrown into the river at all. On Saturday, after two days of immersion, the authorities began fishing out the offerings using excavators and labour. The municipal corporations will carry the debris to landfill sites.
“This time, we had made better arrangements to prevent pollution at the riverside. Apart from our efforts, we had a lot of cooperation from people,” said Ashwani Kumar, the Secretary of the Environment and Forest Department.
The deputy commissioners of the revenue districts were asked to levy a Rs.5,000 fine as per NGT orders on those polluting the river. Mr. Kumar said the data on the number of fines was not available yet.
S.R. Kataria, the deputy commissioner of Central district, said there was “no need for fines” at the three ghats under his jurisdiction.
“We had deployed civil defence volunteers, police personnel and four boats from the Irrigation department to make sure no one polluted, apart from CCTV cameras and a PA system,” said Mr. Kataria.
All ghats had fenced off portions, away from the main flow of the river, so idols and offerings were not thrown into the Yamuna. A. Anbarasu, the divisional commissioner, said the bulk of cleaning had been done on Saturday and would be completed by Sunday evening.
Seven ghats had been prepared by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department with designated spots for idols to be immersed and another area for flowers and other religious materials
