Ganesha fest: No more plastering city with toxic idols

 

The KSPCB has held off until now, in the full knowledge that they are treading on precarious ground, given the fact that it could affect religious sentiments, which politicians with ulterior motives could very easily stoke.

 

However, the facts on the ground are these, contamination of water bodies had increased due to the rise of immersion of idols, particularly ones made from PoP that kill marine life.

If even the desilted waste is not scientifically processed and just dumped bringing down the fertility of the land, no power in heaven can change that!

 

to take the plunge owing to the religious sentiments surrounding the ‘Ganesha Chaturthi’ celebrations.

 

But now looking at the massive  pollution of lakes during the festive season, they have finally decided to act. KSPCB chairman, Vaman Acharya, however, explains the ban may come into full effect only from next year. Currently the city is seeing a substantial increase in Ganesh pandals, as politicians, who throw their weight behind many of them to curry favour with the public, are allegedly eyeing the corporation elections of 2015. The impact on the city and its water bodies is enormous in the process. 

 

The idol immersion impairs both the physical and chemical properties of water. While idols made of clay dissolve within hours of immersion in water, those made of plaster of paris take several months and sometimes even years to fully dissolve. Worse, plaster of paris reduces the oxygen in water, killing fish and other aquatic organisms. The chemical paints  used on the idols often  contain heavy metals such as mercury and lead which seep into the water as they dissolve. 

 

As Ganesha pandals spring up wherever they please in the city, hitting traffic and inconveniencing commuters, some experts suggest its time the BBMP restricted the number of pandals by issuing permits to only to a few associations to erect them. 

 

Come Ganesh Chaturthi and its time for local politicians to back their followers to the hilt, find rich clients as sponsors, and make  the most of the celebrations to win public support. “If any association member finds himself up against a legal problem or if a sponsor refuses to give money, the local corporators are the first to ‘help.’ This time  all the more so as the BBMP elections are nearing and they need all the support they can get. It works mutually,” says a BBMP official. 

 

“Ganesh Chaturthi is the only festival that allows people to earn their annual income,” jokes a top BBMP official. Though the celebrations dont last long fund collection begins months ahead and  it is alleged the corporators get their share to ensure that nothing comes in the way of making them a huge success. 

 

 

 

 

Unauthorised encroachment of roads

 

Money making in the name of the festival