Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): After the immersion of Lord Ganesha idols, the ghats and water bodies can be seen littered with straw structures, bamboo sticks, plastic flowers, and other decoration materials.
These items, along with the idols, are immersed in the water, but many solid wastes remain afloat, contributing to pollution. Immersion of idols were carried out at seven notified ghats—Prempura, Khatlapura, Rani Kamlapati ghat, Shahpura, Bairagarh, Hathalikhedia, and Malikhedi in the city. After the immersion, heaps of plastic and other non-degradable materials go into river bodies polluting it and impacting aquatic life.
These ghats are strewn with debris, including straw and bamboo remnants. Leftover material at idol immersion sites have been collected by the concerned authorities for disposal to a large extent but still a lot needs to be cleared.
Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration has assured that in the next couple of days, solid waste, non-degradable materials and waste will be removed from the ghats and water bodies. As per Central pollution board guidelines, worship material like flowers, vastras (clothes), decorating material (made of paper and plastic) etc. should be removed before immersion of idols. Biodegradable materials should be collected separately for recycling or composting.
Non-biodegradable materials should be collected separately for disposal insanitary landfills. Within 48 hours of the immersion of idols, the leftover material at idol immersion points should be collected by the local bodies for disposal. The straw structure materials recovered from designated temporary or artificial immersion areas or spots shall be retrieved and processed for converting into organic manure; to ensure the biodegradable materials be removed before immersion and the concerned local bodies may use these materials for composting and other useful purposes.
BMC Additional Commissioner Devendra Singh Chauhan said, “ the remains of the idols, accumulated debris, straw or jute strings and all other waste materials related to the immersion of idols have been removed from the notified ghats and remaining will be removed within the next couple of days.”
