The Jharkhand pollution watchdog has advised civic bodies and puja committees to ensure that Durga idols are immersed in demarcated areas to prevent water bodies from getting polluted.
The Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) also asked them to use sanitary landfills for throwing puja materials, an official said on Sunday.
The JSPCB issued the guidelines to ensure a pollution-free Durga puja. The board asked the puja committees to prohibit the use of chemical mixed colour and promote eco-friendly colour in idol making so that it does not pollute water after immersion.
It advised them to avoid throwing puja materials such as flowers, cloth, and paper items in water bodies. They should either be reused or compost should be made from them, the guidelines said.
JSPCB member secretary YK Das told PTI, “We have directed the urban local bodies and local administration to implement the given guidelines to prevent water bodies from getting polluted after immersion.”
The civic bodies need to barricade the idol immersion points in water bodies, he said. Bamboo and wooden logs should be taken for reuse while clay should be used for landfilling, he said. About 200 puja pandals are erected for Durga puja every year in and around the capital city Ranchi.
Bada Talab, Dhurwa dam, Kadru Talab, Button Talab, and Banash Talab are some of the major water bodies in Ranchi where the idols are immersed.
The pollution control board has also asked the organisers to follow the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000, which restricts the playing of the sound system from 10 pm to 6 am in public places. Das said action will be taken if the immersion guidelines are violated.
(With PTI Inputs)
