Nagpur Lakes Suffer as Durga Immersions Go Unmonitored

 NAGPUR: All the hoopla created around eco-friendly immersion of idols seems restricted only to Ganesh idols as city lakes bear a forlorn look after Durga immersions. Nirmalya and other 'holy' remains of Navratri are floating over the city lakes, and this time, even oil can be seen over the waters.

During Ganesh immersions, police, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) officials and NGOs were present in strength at major city lakes to ensure an eco-friendly immersion. Nirmalya was being collected before mud idols were being immersed in the lakes and PoP idols were being immersed in special tanks. All of them were gone during Durga immersions. No effort, either by NMC or by the NGOs towards an eco-friendly immersion was visible on Thursday.

Telangkhedi lake was in a pitiable condition. The bank was strewn with nirmalya in considerable quantity. A thin layer of oil could be spotted from time to time at various places. "The oil is coming from the 'akhand jyot' that people ignite during nine-day festival. They bring it in a small mud pot and put the whole thing in the lake. The oil floats over the lake surface blocking oxygen from being absorbed by the water," said Kaustav Chatterjee, an environmentalist.

Even Sonegaon, which was a huge success during Ganesh immersions with almost no pollution of the lake, was not spared this time. Here too, nirmalya accumulated especially on the right side of the lake and thin film of oil could be seen on the water.

When immersions were happening on final day of Ganesh festival in artificial tank of Sonegaon, ducks could be seen on the lake, serenely pedalling away. On Thursday, there were none. The tale of Sakkardara lake was no different and it too was polluted by nirmalya. The layer of oil could cause a lot of harm to aquatic life as it blocks oxygen and sun rays penetrating the surface of water.

NMC commissioner Shyam Wardhane told TOI that in his briefing before Ganesh festival he had issued orders for both Ganesh and Durga devi immersions. "We are working for eco-friendly immersions, not just for one festival. I will find out how this lapse occurred and appropriate action will be taken," he said.