Hyderabad: Every year, the issues of height of Ganesh idols and pollution of lakes post immersion are taken up at the last minute, by which time the idols have been made and put up for sale. Government and activists protest ahead of Ganesh immersion regarding the lakes being polluted but nothing concrete has been achieved till date.
The issue gained momentum when the TRS government came to power in 2014. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had announced that Hussainsagar would be drained for cleaning and no immersion would be carried out. Instead a separate Vinayaka Sagar would be built at Indira Park. However, that year though the water level of the Hussainsagar was reduced by digging the sluices that allow the lake water out, immersion was carried out as usual .
In 2015, the Hussainsagar drainage plan was kept on hold due to intervention from the National Green Tribunal. Also, there was no word about curbing the height of idols etc. from the government’s end as GHMC elections were scheduled a few months after Ganesh Chaturthi.
This year the issue has again been raised and the government is citing the High Court’s suggestion about height restriction. However, neither the GHMC nor the HMDA has submitted any plans on green initiatives like encouraging clay Ganesh idols.
In 2012, HMDA had started the “Paryavarana Ganapathi” campaign by distributing 25,000 Ganesh idols with the help of four NGOs. The HMDA would purchase clay idols from manufacturers and sell them at 50 per cent subsidy to the public. However in 2015, instead of distribution, the municipal body allocated temporary shelters to the idol makers to sell them at Lumbini Park, KBR and NTR Garden. When contacted, GHMC and HMDA officials said that they have not chalked out any plans regarding clay idols this year.
