(i) Idols should be made from natural materials as described in the holy scripts. Use of traditional clay for idol making rather than baked clay, Plaster of Paris, etc. may be encouraged, allowed and promoted.
(ii) Painting of Idols should be discouraged. In case idols are to be painted, water soluble and nontoxic natural dyes should be used. Use of toxic and non-biodegradable chemical dyes for painting idols should be strictly prohibited.
(iii) Worship material like flowers, vastras (clothes), decorating material (made of paper and plastic) etc. should be removed before immersion of idols. Biodegradable materials should be collected separately for recycling or composting. Non-biodegradable materials should be collected separately for disposal in sanitary landfills. Clothes may be sent to local orphan house
(iv) Public should be educated on ill effects of immersion in the holy water bodies through mass awareness programme.
(v) The ‘Idol Immersion Points’ shall be cordoned off and barricaded. Synthetic liner may be placed in the bottom, well in advance. The said liner shall be removed on completion of immersion ceremony so that remains of idols would be brought to the bank. Bamboo and wooden logs, if any would be reused. Clay, etc may be taken to sanitary land fill for disposal.
General Guidelines for Local Bodies/ Authorities:
(i) Local bodies /District Authorities generally make efforts to identify adequate number of designated immersion spots to avoid overcrowding and also to reduce pollution load on water bodies, such spots need to be notified and public & pooja committees be informed of such designated sites through awareness programme preferably a month before such events of idol immersion. All the stakeholders such as River Authority, Port Authority, Water Supply Board, Irrigation Department, etc. be consulted for identification of the Immersion Ghats, where flow in stream is naturally available.
(ii) A co-ordination Committee comprising Police, Non-Government Organizations, Local Authorities, SPCBs, representatives of pooja committees and stakeholders may be set up for guiding the public in carrying out the immersion with minimal impact on water bodies.
(iii) At the immersion sites, burning of solid wastes, so generated comprising of used flowers, clothes, decorating materials, etc. should be prohibited.
(iv) Within 48 hours of the immersion of idols, the left over material at idol immersion points on the banks of rivers, lakes, beaches, etc. should be collected by the local bodies for disposal.
(v) In case of immersion of idols in rivers and lakes, arrangement may be made for construction of temporary confined ponds with earthern bunds for the purpose of immersion of idols. After the completion of immersion, supernatant water may be allowed to flow in river, pond and lake, as the case may be, after checking for colour and turbidity. Lime may be added in temporary confined ponds.
(vi) The Pooja organizers be involved in a campaign on the ill effects of the toxic components of colouring materials, not only of the idols, but also other decorating materials used during the festive season. Specific leaflets and poster for mass awareness may be prepared and the Pooja committees persuaded to be display such posters and distribute leaflets among worshipers.
Guidelines for Idol Immersion in Rivers: Temporary ponds having earthen bunds along river bank should be created as idol immersion spots. 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.
In the OA No. 51/2016/EZ Ambarnath Sengupta Vrs State of West Bengal & Others, the Hon’ble National Green Tribunal Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkota comprising of Hon’ble Justice S.P. Wangdi, Judicial Member and Hon’ble Mr. Ranjan Chatterjee, Expert Member, passed certain directions inter alia that the Central Pollution Control Board guidelines are exhaustive in so far as regulations for immersion of idol is concerned, and all that is required is for the State governments, the local bodies and the State Pollution Control Boards to implement those effectively. In addition to the CPCB guidelines, the Hon’ble Tribunal gave certain directions/guidelines in the said judgement dated 06/10/2017 for strict implementations:-
(i) There shall be complete ban on the use of POP in idol making till it is established that POP has no negative effect on the water quality and aquatic biodiversity.
(ii) There shall be a complete ban on the use of synthetic colour for painting of idols that would require immersion as part of final ritual of the festival.
(iii) The height of the super structure of the idol shall be less than 40 ft and the idol shall not exceed 20 ft in height.
(iv) All the Puja Committees or individual or organisations who organise the festivals also make the idols in pandals raised by them, shall submit declaration before the Municipal Corporation, Municipalities and Panchayats, as the case may be, specifying that in the making of the idols and raising super structure:-
(v) A copy of such declaration will be made available to the respective State Pollution Control Board by the Municipalities/Municipal Corporations/Panchayats and both the local bodies and PCBs shall make surprise inspection. If any violation is detected, action shall be initiated by imposition of penalty of such sum as may be decided by the State Board or as may be prescribed by rules framed therefore and may further prohibit them from organising festivals in future, either temporarily or permanently.
(vi) As far as practicable, the biodegradable materials be removed before immersion and the concerned local bodies may use the materials for composting and other useful purpose.
(vii) In case of temples where biodegradable wastes are generated everyday in the form of used flowers, leaves, fruits, coconut, case etc. there shall be scientific disposal of biodegradable wastes and no such wastes shall be disposed off to water bodies. Disposal of biodegradable wastes to water bodies will invite penalty to be imposed by the local authorities on the temple committee.
