Environmentalists and river experts have been campaigning against idol immersions for over a decade now. Judicial interventions in the past, however, have not yielded the desired result. Every year, after Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja and Kali Puja, the biological oxygen demand (BOD) levels in rivers increase dramatically which has drawn attention of environmentalists.
Traditionally, the idols were made of mud and painted with natural colours. But now many are made using Plaster of Paris (PoP) and coated with harmful paints containing heavy metals, all of which end up in the rivers on Dussehra immersion day. In our State, the condition is equally alarming. In Dussehra, hundreds of idols are installed for Puja in small and big towns. Even rural areas do not lag behind. And, finally these idols have to go to the water bodies.
Idols made of PoP do not dissolve easily in water. It also reduces the oxygen level in the water, killing the fish and other aquatic organisms.
The paints used for decorating the idol contain heavy metals like mercury, chromium and lead. These chemicals in turn affect the water used for drinking.
These days, a new concept of ‘eco-friendly’ idols is recommended. Some idols are made out of ‘paper’. Environmentally, the use of paper too is harmful because it sucks the oxygen from the water and generates methane gas. Idols made using plastic, cement, etc do not dissolve in the water; thus polluting the water.
According to Toxics link, approximately 100,000 idols are immersed in India’s water bodies each year during the puja season. With the rise in pollution levels in the rivers, a few States are now evolving ways to prevent or minimise idol immersion. A 1993-95, a study by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)-Impacts of Dussehra Festival on the River Hooghly: A Case Study-showed that every year at least 15,000 idols of Goddess Durga are immersed in the Hooghly river alone. The study states that this releases 16.8 tonnes of varnish and garjan oil and 32 tonnes of colours in the water. These colours contain a good dose of heavy metals like manganese, lead, mercury and chromium. The study also found that during Dusshera, oil and grease in the river increases by 0.99 milligram per litre (mg/l) and the concentration of heavy metals increases by 0.104 mg/l.
The Gujarat Government imposed a blanket ban on the use of PoP and other hazardous materials in idols and their immersion in any main water body. In Odisha, the local administrations with the direction of SPCB have been asked to barricade the “idol immersion points” and put synthetic liners in the artificial ponds ahead of immersion processions. These liners would be removed after the immersion ceremonies along with the idol remains, and disposed as per the solid waste management rules.
(Dr Senapati is Professor and Head, Department of Chemistry, Trident Academy of Engineering & Technology, Bhubaneswar-751024, Email: dr_senapati@yahoo.com)