The 10-day long Durga Puja celebrations came to an end on Tuesday with hundreds of Goddess Durga idols immersed in Yamuna Ghats across the national Capital.
Anticipating the high turnout of people and vehicles, the Delhi Police made elaborate arrangements and managed the processions in an organised manner.
A senior Delhi Police official said they had taken precautions in issuing licences to the Pandals. Only those organisers were issued permissions who were found to have complied with the laid down guidelines by the environment bodies.
Despite the National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines, all the Durga idols were immersed in the river with organisers saying they have abided by the rules and used bio-degradable colours. The idols will not harm the already polluted water, they argued.
"We have not used any colour that dissolves after immersing the idol and the idols are made of soil so that it gets mixed with the water," said Pratik Sen, organiser of Greater Kailash-1 Durgabari Puja.
At the Geeta Ghat and the Shyam Ghat, CATS ambulances, fire engines and several companies of police personnel were deployed at the ghats for the safety of the people.
Divers were positioned in the boats to respond to any tragedy as in the past devotees were drowned in the river while trying to immerse the idols. The Delhi Police has restricted the entry of people into the river by installing iron fencings. Some people tried to break the barrier but were prevented from doing so.
Senior Police officials of the North district were also present at the ghats to see everything went according to order.
"We have even deployed police personnel on boats so that no one crosses the maximum boundary up to which people can immerse the idol. But still people are violating the rule and tearing the boundary nets in order to go further deep in the river. Our duty is to see no untoward incident or accident happens," said a senior police official.
Another organiser of a Pooja at Chittaranjan Park, Tapan Kumar Das said, "We bought the idol for immersion here because we have a smaller field as compared to other pandals at CR Park. Some people have made ponds by digging ground so as to immerse the idols there. We have not violated any rule. We got the licence for the pandal from the licensing unit of Delhi Police and then took permission from Kali Bari in Mandir Marg for immersion. After getting the permission the authorities issue us a unique number and accordingly we immerse the idols,"
The processions, comprising several types of vehicles congregated at Kudesia Ghat, Geeta Ghat, Shyam Ghat, Kalindi Kunj, Chatth Puja Ghat and Chilla Ghat for immersion of the idols.
Although data for the number of immersions was not available with the traffic police but the vehicular movement was highly regularised. Entry to the ghats was regulated and only those were allowed to immerse the idols who were valid permissions from the traffic police. Children were not allowed to come on the banks by police.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) will analyse the impact of the immersions on Yamuna's toxic and foamy water by resorting to pre and post water quality check, an official of the Delhi Environment Department said.
"DPCC had conducted similar checks during the immersion of Ganesha idols. The level of contamination will be checked apart from measuring Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels," the official said.
Water activist Manoj Mishra said the National Green Tribunal strictly prohibited immersions at places other than designated spots. Pollution control bodies have already banned idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP), he said.