Social activists urge Rohtak admn to keep tabs on idol immersion

Members of the “Suno Nahro Ki Pukar”, a social outfit committed to keeping the city’s water bodies clean, has raised concern over immersion of Ganesha’s idols into the canal, potentially polluting the water.

A delegation of the outfit today met Deputy Commissioner Sachin Gupta, urging him to make eco-friendly alternative arrangements for idol immersion at designated locations across the city.

Jasmer Singh, founder and chief patron of the outfit, expressed concerns over the environmental impact of idol immersion in canals during the Ganesha festival.

“Canals are a primary source of drinking water. As large-scale Ganesh idol immersions are carried out in the district, there is a growing risk of pollution in water bodies,” said Jasmer.

He said, “Idols are often decorated using paint, plastic, glass, cloth, gulal, chemicals and other harmful substances. Additionally, leftover offerings and food items are also dumped into the canals. Once these materials break apart in water bodies, they pose a serious threat to aquatic life, animals, nature and human health.”

Patron Deepak Chhara stressed the need to balance devotion with environmental responsibility and urged the use of clay idols and alternative immersion sites rather than canals. He cited the Rohtak administration’s successful use of Gaukarn Pond as an eco-friendly idol immersion site over the past several years, which has been widely appreciated.

He urged the administration to deploy police at bridges during the festival to prevent people from throwing idols or offerings into the canals, thus protecting the purity of drinking water source.

Mukesh Nainkwal, general secretary of the outfit, said they had written to the Deputy Commissioners of Rohtak, Panipat, Karnal, Sonepat and Jhajjar, urging them to adopt eco-friendly alternatives for idol immersion and take steps to protect canals and rivers from pollution during the festival.