The annual fete of Ganesh immersion is upon the city, when boisterous celebrations surrounding the nine-day Ganesh Navratri reach their convulsive crescendo.
Labyrinthine procession of the elephant god in all sizes and shapes brings the city’s humdrum, disciplined life to a disruptive halt on the designated day annually, setting free the irreverent spirit in devotees in the name of reverence.
The occasion is usually more like a carnival on Tank Bund rather than solemn, with food, fun and frolic taking centre stage, and tourists thronging to get a peek of the grand immersion of Khairatabad Ganesh amid the strident cries of ‘Jai Bolo Ganesh Maharaj Ki’.
This time round, as the events still unfold, it becomes clear that the immersion is not going to be without its controversy. Indications about disturbance on the horizon came in the wake of an announcement by the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS), that the idols made of Plaster of Paris and clay will be immersed in the Hussainsagar despite the High Court’s orders, to the contrary.
The Samithi also demanded that the State government make the required arrangements in the Hussainsagar as they do every year.
‘Into the fray’
With BJP leader Bandi Sanjay Kumar quickly jumping into the fray, the subdued political colours around the annual event have emerged in flaring tones this year.
A portable pond at NBT nagar in Banjara Hills, created by The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation for immersion of idols made of Plaster of Paris. | Photo Credit: Nagara Gopal
Mr. Sanjay’s allegations that the government had been conspiring to create hurdles to the festivities on the pretext of environmental pollution, were met with clarifications from the government, that clay idols will be allowed to be immersed in Tank Bund and there were 31 lakes and 74 baby ponds designated for the PoP idols.
Irrespective of what the outcome may be, Mr. Sanjay was speaking against the guidelines formulated by his own party’s government at the Centre, by supporting the BGUS.
The Central Pollution Control Board under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, issued a set of guidelines for idol immersion, in which it gave detailed instructions for idol makers, organising committees, local and urban authorities, and State pollution control boards.
Devotees immersing an idol of Lord Ganesha in Hussain Sagar Lake on September 7, 2022. | Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G
The guidelines clearly state that idols made of only natural, biodegradable, eco-friendly raw materials without any toxic or inorganic materials should be encouraged, allowed and promoted and that the idols made of PoP should be banned. In the same breath, the guidelines favour only natural materials and dyes for decoration of the idols.
In the set of guidelines for the pooja organising committees, the CPCB recommended use of low height, eco-friendly idols for worshipping, which should be procured from craftsmen registered with the ULB. It also asked the committees to seek prior permission from the urban local body concerned by providing management plant and required provisions for ensuring safe idol immersion at least one month in advance.
With regard to immersion in ponds, the CPCB recommends that the idols be immersed in designated artificial tanks or ponds near the main rivers or lakes, lined with well graded or highly impervious clay or eco synthetic liner.
The State government has adhered only partly to the guidelines by creating 74 artificial ponds for immersion. No orders were issued banning the PoP idols, no enforcement was in place nor any exercise to register the craftsmen with the ULBs or to educate them about the guidelines.
In fact, the guidelines have earned a modicum of seriousness only after the Telangana High Court issued orders last year, placing a ban on immersion of PoP idols in the Hussainsagar or any other lake in city. The court was adjudicating on a contempt petition with regard to directions issued by the High Court apropos a writ petition filed in 1998 seeking ban on immersion of Ganesh idols in the lake.
Special leave petition
A special leave petition was filed in the Supreme Court by GHMC Commissioner D.S. Lokesh Kumar against the High Court directions, and the apex court allowed immersion of PoP idol of Khairatabad in the Hussainsagar one last time with the caveat that from the subsequent year, the same cannot be repeated.
The High Court reiterated its orders yet again in July this year on a different petition, sealing any other option for the organisers as well as the State government.
Ponds readied
On its part, the GHMC has kept ready 74 artificial immersion ponds, including 28 permanent baby ponds, created by the civic body near major lakes.
They have introduced 24 more prefabricated portable fiber reinforced plastic ponds with 1.35 metres to 1.5 metres depth and approximately 30x10 metres in size. At 22 more locations, they have excavated artificial ponds for immersion of PoP idols.
After the protests and open declarations by BGUS, the corporation has also increased the number of cranes deployed in the Hussainsagar for immersion of clay idols.
It is yet to be seen if the artificial ponds would be able to take the burden of the enormous PoP idols, and if the authorities would be able to differentiate between clay & PoP idols attempted for immersion at various lakes in the city, especially in view of the threats issued by BGUS.
