DPCC bans idol immersion in water bodies in Delhi

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NEW DELHI: The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has banned the immersion of idols in the Yamuna River and any other water bodies in Delhi ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Pooja Festivals. Violators of this ban will have to pay a fine of ₹50,000.

Earlier, DPCC and civic bodies were given the responsibility to create temporary immersion sites or artificial ponds near the residential areas to allow the citizens to do idol immersion during the Ganesh Festival and Durga Pooja.

DPCC’s order issued in this regard read, “The Delhi Police and municipal bodies will work together to enforce these guidelines and take action against illegal idol-making operations.” The order added, “Violators of the guidelines will face fines of up to ₹50,000, with continued non-compliance potentially resulting in penalties ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹15,00,000.”

DPCC’s directive explicitly prohibits the use of Plaster of Paris (POP) idols in any of the water bodies in the city. Citizens are asked to perform the idol immersion ritual on only designated sites and artificial ponds made for this purpose.

After use, water from these artificial ponds should be used for gardening, while the biodegradable materials should be used for composting.

To check whether the norms stated by DPCC have been complied with, the pollution control committee will be doing water quality checks before and after the idol immersion process. Apart from that, awareness campaigns are also planned to inform the public about the benefits of eco-friendly idols as mandated in the directives of DPCC.