NGT fumes over Yamuna littered with Ganesha idols

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday sought response from the Delhi government and others on the hundreds of Ganesha idols littering the Yamuna river.

A plea highlighting the plight of the river, which is choked due to the immersion of several Ganesha idols, prompted the NGT action. The green panel was hearing a plea filed by environment activist Akash Vashishta seeking directions to immediately take steps to clean up the banks of the river.

Referring to a media report, the plea said due to the immersion of idols and 'pooja material', the river has literally turned into a drain.

Thousands of broken or semi-dissolved idols of Ganesha made of Plaster of Paris and coated with toxic chemicals such as mercury, cadmium, lead and carbon were immersed in the Yamuna river last month.

A bench, headed by NGT chairperson justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to the AAP government, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Development Authority and others while asking them to file action taken reports after the festival.

Advocate Sanjay Upadhyaya, representing the petitioner in the case, said despite CPCB 2010 guidelines on idol immersion and a specific ban on immersion of non-biodegradable idols, the authorities have failed.

The plea said biological oxygen demand of the river, a measure of organic pollution, has reached to “dangerous levels”. It sought an action plan to deal with idol immersion in the light of coming Durga Puja festival.