State pollution control body sets rules for eco-friendly Ganesh fest

Mirashe pointed out that each stakeholder will be held responsible to follow these guidelines. With the MPCB,along with the local bodies,drafting a river pollution improvement plan,it becomes mandatory that the guidelines are followed so that the river is not polluted.

The MPCB had along with the district collector in a report stated that city releases 362 million litres untreated water daily (48.65 per cent untreated water into rivers),while Pimpri-Chinchwad releases 88 million litres untreated water daily (34.50 per cent of untreated sewage water) into the rivers. With a plan being readied with the help of MPCB to clean the rivers as well as work out ways to stop discharge of sewage water,the MPCB has a huge task to treat 541.92 MLD water released into the Bhima river basin. “We already have the daunting task of cleaning untreated sewage water released by 10 municipal councils,three cantonment boards,nine industrial estates,MIDC and 196 villages ahead of us. With this festival,we have requested the local bodies to issue the necessary directives so that they do not further pollute the already polluted rivers,” said Mirashe.

The MPCB has also issued other guidelines directing mandals that materials,such as flowers,clothes,decorating material made of paper and plastic,should be removed before immersion. The guidelines also include collecting the bio-degradable material for recycling or composting and non-biodegradable materials to be collected separately for disposal in sanitary landfills,while clothes are to be handed over to the orphanages.

While some mandals have committed themselves to eco-friendly Ganeshotsav celebrations,the local sculptors have voiced their objection. “We have already finished making idols as the festival is just a month away. We can follow it only next year,” said Sayaji Shinde,a sculptor in the peth area.

Nandkishore Dabhawade from Tarun Mandal said their mandal has been following all the eco-friendly norms such as avoiding gulal,thermocol decorations and observing noise pollution norms. The latest directive of using clay idols too will be followed for the Ganesh festival,he said. While MPCB is also trying to promote clay idol makers,Mirashe said they are trying to spread awareness with the help of local bodies.

A sculptor makes two idols a day with the plaster of paris,but for clay idol it would take minimum ten days,said Ganesh Borhate,a sculptor. “If the government is issuing such directives they should also give incentives to clay idol makers,”’ he said.

While for the immersion process,the local bodies and district authorities have also been asked to identify designated immersion spots to avoid overcrowding to reduce pollution and it is also mentioned that after 48 hours of the immersion,the leftover material at immersion points,lakes and beaches should be collected by the local bodies for disposal.