HC orders violated; PoP idols immersed in lakes with impunity

In glaring violation of repeated directions and orders by the High Court and the Supreme Court since last year, no efforts were seen by the authorities at Ganesh idol immersion sites to differentiate between clay idols and those made of Plaster of Paris, nor to redirect them to the spots as designated.

The Telangana High Court and the Supreme Court issued directions last year, proscribing the immersion of PoP idols in the Hussainsagar or any other water body citing pollution. In a recent order in July this year, the High Court repeated the same with respect to another petition.

In fact, a predominantly large number of idols made a beeline to the Hussainsagar and Saroornagar lake, as was the norm during previous years, notwithstanding the fact that GHMC had created 74 artificial ponds specifically for immersion of idols.

“Only about 10% of the idols — those less than three feet in height — were immersed in the portable/artificial ponds created by GHMC. All the remaining, irrespective of whether they are made of clay or PoP, were downed into lakes,” an official informed on condition of anonymity.

The police, who were given the responsibility of designating immersion spots for each idol, and directing the processions accordingly, remained mute spectators, as the pandal organisers led the idols based on their whims.

GHMC and HMDA together distributed over six lakh clay Ganesh idols ahead of Ganesh Navratri in order to promote eco-friendly celebration. Large sized clay idols were placed at designated spots across the city by GHMC for creating awareness about the use of clay idols for worship. Notwithstanding all these efforts, and directions from the judiciary, PoP idols were installed across the city in a large number of pandals by the organisers.

Though a few cranes were placed near the Hussainsagar for immersion till three days prior, the authorities were forced to put in place all the arrangements on war footing when Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi went to the media threatening to direct all the idols to Tank Bund, and BJP leader Bandi Sanjay Kumar threw his weight behind them.