With the festive season round the corner, the National Green Tribunal on Wednesday passed a series of directions to make sure Yamuna is not choked with hazardous chemicals.
It further said that, “the DDA, the municipal corporations, police and Administration of NCT of Delhi would fully co-ordinate with each other to ensure compliance of these directions”.
With Ganesh Chaturthi being celebrated on Thursday, which is followed later by the immersion of idols in the Yamuna, a Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed that immersion would be allowed of only those idols “which are made from bio-degradable material and not plastic/ Plaster of Paris”.
He further said, “only those colours should be used on the idols which are environment-friendly.”
Immersion of idols puts a load on the rivers and can defeat revitalisation plan of the National Green Tribunal if the civic agencies concerned do not keep a check.
The agencies concerned have been told to publicise the identified sites of immersion and check the flow of pooja material into the river.
The Delhi government has also been asked to provide mobile toilets/ bio-toilets at these sites.
The civic agencies, however, are not sure who will check if the idols are made of biodegradable material or not.
“During immersion, idols are checked and those found to be non-biodegradable are separated after immersion by the flood and irrigation department and later taken to a landfill site by municipal corporation. We will follow all the directions of the NGT strictly and all arrangements will be put in place at the immersion ghats,” said a spokesperson of North and East Delhi Municipal Corporations.
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