India, which is a cradle to varied cultures and tradition, welcomes each festival with grand gesture and grandiose celebrations. The festival, often considered pious, sacred and blended with spiritual energy receives open arm welcome from people. People craft deities to worship and pray, and more than thousands of deities are created every year in India to worship. However, the aftermath of these celebration often leads to the deterioration of environment particles, affecting the environment at great extent.
Recently, India celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi, with utmost pomposity and love, but what followed after was quite disturbing. Idols were submersed under water bodies in great number, which took place in almost every part of India. The disturbing part of the submersion is the after effect of the process. The deities are made up of harmful chemical substances like lead, arsenic, sulphur, cadmium and acrylic paints. The deities adorned with made-up jewels and clothes, are immersed under water as a final process of festival. These chemical substances once put in the water bodies releases toxins that degrade the quality of water and lessens the survival chances of aquatic animals, it also harms the aquatic life for the long run.
The legal consequences of polluting the health of the Biodiversity in India.
According to the Constitution, State government or Union territories has authority over water bodies which also includes preventing the water pollution. The Water Act prohibits any person from knowingly causing or permitting the entry of (i) any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter, directly or indirectly, into any stream or well or sewer or on land, or (ii) any other matter into any stream which may tend, either directly or in combination with similar matters, to impede the proper flow of the water of the stream in a manner leading or likely to lead to a substantial aggravation of pollution due to other causes or of its consequences.[1] The act defines “pollution” as such contamination of water or such alteration of the physical, chemical or biological properties of water or such discharge of any sewage or trade effluent or of any other liquid, gaseous or solid substance into water (whether directly or indirectly) as may, or is likely to, create a nuisance or render such water harmful or injurious to public health or safety, or to domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural or other legitimate uses, or to the life and health of animals or plants or of aquatic organisms[2] . The Supreme Court of India has already recognized the right to pollution free environment under article 21. In the landmark case of Subas kumar vs State of Bihar the court said that “The right to live is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution and it includes the right of enjoyment of pollution-free water and air for full enjoyment of life."
The idol immersed in water bodies are made up of so harmful chemicals that it contributes in destroying the bio-diversity. Containing chemicals such as plaster of Paris and lead it concludes in severe water pollutions. Plaster of Paris regains its gypsum form making water hard and alkaline. Meanwhile, lead used in paint of idols when immersed in water results in change of concentration and temperature of the water, making it difficult and hazardous for the aquatic animals. And these chemicals lead to pollution of water bodies, alibiing the fact that submersion of idols pollutes the water, justifying the definition of pollution under act. But this process is still not considered as pollution due to various reason such as harming the sentiment of religious people. The peril process of immersing idols is still glorified and it's still not illegal to immerse idols prepared from harmful chemical substances. The state legal body must ensure such practice are made to discontinue, in order to prevent it from contributing to water pollution.
There are various reforms that State government and union territories needs to implement in order to prevent further deterioration of aquatic bodies. These includes:
- Using Clay for the formation of any idol, clay dissolves easily causing no damage to the aquatic body.
- Banning of acrylic paints and lead contained paints for the creation of idols.
- Removing the jewels or any other decorative items that is harder to dissolve,
- Promoting more home-friendly immersion such as artificial ponds in one's backyard or terrace, instead of streams, lakes, ponds and rivers.
- Forbidding the dumping of worship materials such as metal diyas, clothes etc.
- Imposing Penalties and fines on non-clay made statues immersed in water.
- New amendments in water act to stop the act and fine for breaking the rule.
- Education regarding the harmful affect of water pollution caused by chemicals in idols, by the government.
- Deploying police and volunteers to monitor immersion sites and prevent illegal immersions in rivers, as seen in Mumbai and Pune, where police assistance has been used effectively
These are some simple rules which can be made mandate for beginners, following of the rules may lead to decrease in idol submersion embedded with chemical clothing.
The other rules that must be included by the governments are quite difficult to follow but it should be bought in continuation, the rules are that manufacture and sale of idols painted with toxic chemicals should be put to ban by the state governments. Making it mandatory for the idol-makers to obtain the license under the state government for the making of only eco-friendly idols.
Cities like Mumbai and Chennai can coordinate with municipal corporation for setting up designated immersion tanks to collect the leftover residue. Disposing of immersion residues within 48 hours, as per CPCB guidelines, using designated waste processing facilities to prevent landfill overflow.
The rising concern regarding water pollution is alerting and only we can save it from further deteriorating only if some quick actions are taken. The right to life should also include the aquatic animals and microorganism. The harm caused by artificial idol is demolishing the health of water bodies , and proper guidelines must be followed in order to have a healthy environment. Environmental protection is a constitutional imperative and as a responsible citizen it's our utmost responsibility to ensure residue free environment.