Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (JD)
Udupi, Sept 11: Udupi deputy commissioner Swaroopa T K has urged the public to celebrate the Gowri-Ganesha festival with devotion while opting for eco-friendly idols made of clay and helping protect natural water resources.
She was speaking at a meeting held at the deputy commissioner’s office at Rajathadri, Manipal, on Thursday, September 11, to discuss law and order arrangements for the Gowri-Ganesha festival, which will be celebrated across the district on September 13 and 14.
The DC said idols made of plaster of Paris (PoP) and chemical-based colours do not dissolve naturally in water and can cause pollution and harm aquatic life. She urged the public to avoid such idols and choose environmentally friendly alternatives.
To reduce pressure on natural water bodies, idols should be immersed in temporary or artificial immersion tanks designated by local bodies, she said. During immersion, wet and dry waste should be segregated and disposed of scientifically instead of being thrown into water bodies.
Where immersion in rivers, lakes, ponds or other natural water sources is unavoidable, authorities should identify designated locations and ensure adequate safety arrangements, basic infrastructure and deployment of rescue teams and other necessary personnel, she instructed.
The DC directed officials to conduct continuous inspections of idol manufacturing units, storage godowns and sales centres before the festival to prevent the manufacture and sale of PoP idols. Strict legal action should be taken against those found storing or selling PoP idols, she said.
Committees installing public Ganesha idols must obtain mandatory permissions from the local bodies, while permission from the police department is required for the use of loudspeakers. The use of single-use plastic during the festival, loudspeakers between 10 pm and 6 am, and the bursting of firecrackers other than green crackers during idol immersion have been prohibited, she said.
She also called for continuous awareness campaigns through schools, colleges, social media and NGOs on the harmful effects of PoP idols and the importance of using eco-friendly idols.
The DC directed MESCOM officials to take necessary precautionary measures along Ganesha procession routes to prevent accidents involving overhead electrical wires.
Additional deputy commissioner Abid Gadyal, ASP Sudhakar Naik, Zilla Panchayat chief planning officer Dr Uday Shetty, district environmental officer Dr Maheshwari Singh, district-level officials, tahsildars, executive officers and others were present at the meeting.