Despite clear directions by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) of scientific treatment or reuse of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols after immersion, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is going to dispose of all collected PoP Ganesh idols into abandoned quarries around the city. Every year, NMC disposes of clay idols after ‘visarjan’ into abandoned quarries situated around Nagpur city and this year, the PoP idols will also be dumped along with clay idols. According to MoEF&CC, all PoP idols should have a red circular mark indicating they are PoP, allowing for their subsequent collection and scientific treatment or reuse.

 

Local authorities are responsible for collecting these materials and ensuring they are not released into natural water bodies, as PoP does not dissolve and can pollute the environment. However, NMC has no plans for disposing of PoP idols scientifically or its reuse. “NMC will dispose of all PoP idols in abandoned quarries like every year. We have some quarries near Amravati Road, near Pitesur village in Godhani and Pawangaon on Umred Road,” Dr Gajendra Mahalle, Chief Sanitation Officer, NMC told ‘The Hitavada’. Dr Mahalle also claimed that the immersion of PoP idols in artificial tanks in the first five days of ‘visarjan’ are very less in number.

 

Even in the first two days of ‘Visarjan’, out of 2,008 small Ganesh idols, only 118 were of PoP made in six zones. Whereas Green Vigil Foundation (GVF), an NGO that joins hands with NMC for smooth conduct of ‘Ganesh Visarjan’ every year, claimed that the artificial tanks installed at Futala Lake itself witnessed 123 PoP idols in first four days. “Markets are flooded with POP idols this year, either entire idol is made up of POP or is amalgamation of clay and POP. However, neither the shopkeepers have designated POP idols by putting red mark behind the idol, nor have they put up banner stating idols are made up of POP and should be immersed in artificial tanks,” said Surbhi Jaiswal, Team Lead, GVF.

 

“Today, we are in the sixth day ahead of Ganpati Visarjan. Looking at the statistics, percentage of POP idols coming for immersion has risen to 10-15%, which was 2-3% in last 2 to 3 years,” claimed Jaiswal. Jaiswal also claimed that the PoP idols in artificial tanks were floating due to their light weight. While asking her about disposal of PoP idols into landfills by NMC, Jaiswal said, “Disposing PoP idols in the ground can cause pollution, as the material contains toxic chemicals and dyes that can leach into the soil, degrade its quality, and affect plant life and water sources. PoP is non-biodegradable, meaning it does not decompose easily, leading to waste accumulation and long-term contamination if it is buried or ends up in land.”