Impact of practice of idol immersion on the water bodies> Its high time we should switch over to Green Ganesha/Clay Ganesha

1. Environmental
Impact
of
Gunwant Joshi
Chief Chemist
M.P.Pollution Control Board

2. Come Bhadrapad & its time for
festival of Lord Ganesh
All over the country
Ganesh idols are
invoked on
Shukla Chaturthi
with all the
Ferver and Gaity
This year Ganesh Chaturthi
is coming on 19th September

3. Traditionally,
from ancient times,
Shri Ganesh idols were
made from mud & clays,
and often painted
with vegetable dyes
and then were installed
with great religious fervor on the Day of
Bhadrapad Shukla Chaturthi
The practice was prevalent mostly in high cast Hindus

4. The Fiery freedom fighter, a great
Indian Scholar & social reformer
transformed this purely religious
annual festival into a well-organized
Socio-Political Public event to provide
a plate-form to unite & motivate the youth and
the masses to come together against the British
Government and demand the Right to self Rule
In 1893, He installed idol of “Lord Ganesh, deity of Wisdom to
symbolise the peoples aspirations for Socio-cultural and Political
change in the society & also to bridge the gap between ‘Brahmins’
and 'non-Brahmins‘ so that the Freedom movement gets momentum

5. Ganesh Festival is
the epitome of Wisdom,
Creativity, Harmony &
Positive societal change.
Provides opportunity to
the people for the artistic
expression manifested in
different forms
Over the years this has undergone tremendous change
due to people’s attitude to see it in different perspective

6. The result is
That is manifested in several artistic ways
Unfortunately this is now taking the dangerous dimensions

7. What thoughts come your mind
when u hear about the Festivity of
The Ganesh Chaturthi?
Is it about…
•Sweet & Tasty
….Ok
…What else ?

8. •Shiny glossy colorful mesmerising idols of Ganeshji
and ….. explosion of creativity in
preparing the idols
and pandal decorations… .
Aartee…Poojas, Bhajans, and…
Loud music,
unattended garbage ….and..
May be…..

9. You may even think of
The impending
Environmental damage ?????
That is going to take place
in form of Visarjan activity
On Anant Chaturdashi
When the Lord
Shall leave!

11. The Idols of the Lord & PoP
 The idols are often made from
non- biodegradable materials such
as Plastic, Cement, Plaster of Paris
and often painted with toxic dyes.
 Plaster of Paris comprises of
chemicals like gypsum, sulphur,
phosphorus & magnesium and
is insoluble in water.
Paints contain heavy metals like Chromium, cadmium,
lead and Mercury etc. which are toxic to the life forms

12. Community Ganesh Pendals
What it should be How it is
The idol of Shree Ganesh is
most important in elegant Excessive electric lighting and
background and beautiful decoration using thermocol and other
ambiance non-biodegradable material
Everybody should collectively Noisy recordings-empty pendals
join for pooja with devotion. Long aartis in loud tone causing
Selective devotionful aarti with Noise Pollution.
Prayer and Chantings

13. Community Ganesh Pendals
What it should be How it is
 Preparation of pooja after  Most People absent at the time of
purification to maintain the pooja and those present often
sanctity. chit chat.
 Everyone should remain  Anti-social elements often take
present and experience the over and indulge in unwanted
divine consciousness. activities

14. Visarjan Procession
What it should be How it is
Disciplined procession Slow paced unruly
with religious chanting procession, antisocial
elements sneak in.

15. Visarjan [Idol Immersion]

16. The after math of Visarjan

17. Hard to believe
After immersion
We go home
and sleep...?..!!
Never ever
actually look back
what have we left behind
after the visarjan?

18. The Idols we worshiped and revered
lie here Crest fallen,
Don’t they deserve

19. Chemical Mean Concentration Concentration before Concentration after
Pollutants In Water Immersion of Idols Immersion of Idols
Calcium 25.14 43.77 68.4*
Magnesium 7.785 6.590 10.02*
Molybdenum 0.090 0.149 0.534*
Silicon 3.537 2.954 3.826**
Arsenic 0.124 0.121 0.497
Iron 0.212 0.125 0.22**
Lead 0.289 0.351 0.45**
Mercury 0.689 0.553 0.778**
Threshold Limit Value (TLV) : *TLV=0.01; **TLV=0.05
TLV is the permissible level of a toxic pollutant to which a healthy person is
exposed during an eight hour day without any adverse effect.

21. S. No. Material Contributed Impact on the Aquatic Body
1 Plaster of Paris Increases dissolved solids, contribute metals and
sludge.
2. Decoration material viz. Contributes Suspended Particulate Matters (SPM),
clothes, polish, paint, trace metals (Zinc, Lead, Iron, Chromium, Arsenic,
ornaments, cosmetic Mercury, etc.), metalloids and various organic and
items. inorganic matter, oil and grease, etc.
3. Flowers, garlands, oily Increase floating suspended matter, organic
substances contamination, oil and grease and various organic and
inorganic matter.
4. Bamboo sticks, beauty Pieces float in water or settle at the river bottom
articles inhabiting river flow.
5. Polythene bags / plastic Contribute suspended matter, settled matter and
items hazardous material to water and choke the aquatic life.
6. Eatables,food items, etc. Contribute oil and grease, organics to water bodies.

22. Is it not a right time
to give a thought to

23. For Children,
They are a Fun to make
Easy Visarjan !
Little or No
Environmental
implications!!
Our Schools may consider this

24. GUIDELINES FOR IDOL IMMERSION
CENTRAL POLLUTION
CONTROL BOARD, DELHI
The document is available at http://www.cpcb.nic.in/

25.  Identification of the Immersion Ghats
 Co-ordination Committee
 Burning of solid wastes
 Disposal Within 48 hours of the immersion
 Mass awareness

26. Guidelines for Idol Immersion in Lakes
Flowers, leaves and artificial ornaments of idols should

be removed prior to immersion
Artificial pond using removable synthetic liners in the

bottom should be created for immersion activity
Post immersion, liners may be taken out along with
remains of idols and lime should be added to the pond
water for settling the solids.
De-sludging of the pond should be undertaken

afterwards.

27. Guidelines for Idol Immersion in Rivers
Temporary ponds having earthen bunds along river bank
should be created as idol immersion spots.
Flowers, leaves and artificial ornaments of idols should

be removed prior to immersion
Removable synthetic liner may be placed well in

advance in bottom of pond.
The said liner along with remains of idols should be
removed from the point within 48 hours of immersion of
idols.

28. Recommendations

29. Recommendations:
 Install Eco Idols [dissolve in water in >10 hrs]
 Use permanent idols made of brass or stone.
 Use a small painted idol made of unbaked clay if you
immerse the idol
 Immerse the idol in a tub or a water tank
 Collect the flowers and Nirmalya and compost them
 Avoid the use of thermocole & plastic in decorations

30.  Within 24 hours of the immersion of idols, the left over
material (near rivers, lakes, beaches, etc.) should be
collected by the local bodies and disposed off.
 At the immersion sites, burning of solid wastes should
not be allowed.
 People should be encouraged to go for smaller size
idols.
 Through media people should be educated about the ill
effects of such activities on holy water bodies &
encouraged to go for "kar-sewa" in order to minimize,
the adverse effects.

31. Good way to immerse small idols

32. Disposal
The Mud
or the Clay
may be used
in the Gardens
or the Pots
Without any
bad effect to
the Environment

33. Good way to immerse

34. Other Resource
Wonderful slide show on Ganesh Festival and related issues
http://parisaraganapati.net/
GUIDELINES FOR IDOL IMMERSION Published by CPCB in June’2010
The document is available at http://www.cpcb.nic.in/
How to make Eco Idols/Green Ganesh
http://parisaraganapati.net/
http://www.savetubevideo.com/?v=Q1ZH0tkh2TQ