Kolkata Municipal Corporation assures necessary steps were taken to prevent pollution from immersion

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities have said that necessary steps were taken to prevent pollution of River Hooghly that could have resulted from the immersion of Durga idol after this year’s puja.

The municipal body had deployed large cranes at all major ghats of the Hooghly to lift the idols from the river immediately after they were immersed into the water so that even if toxic products had been used in the paint, it would not mix with the river water.

Atin Ghosh, deputy Mayor of Kolkata said that this arrangement had been made since Dashami, the last day of Durga Puja that marks the starting day of immersion.

There was however, discontent among people about Bagbazar Ghat not being cleaned properly. Remains of idols were found piled up in the ghat even after three days.

Babughat was free of traces of idols though. Friday was the last day of immersion marked by the Durga Puja Carnival which showcased idols of 75 leading pujas in Kolkata and surrounding areas.

Green activists are of the opinion that idol immersion in rivers should be totally banned. The measures suggested by them are creation of locally confined waterbodies which could be cleaned up after the immersion is over. Officials of West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) have said that samples are being collected and data compiled to ascertain whether there has been any pollution in the rivers due to immersion.

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