In view of the growing pollution and harm to the Husain Sagar Lake, the Supreme Court today passed orders disallowing idol immersions from next year. However, permission has been granted for 2021, making it the last year for the idol immersions in the lake, which has widely been used during the Ganesh Visarjan festivities.
While the bench headed by Chief Justice NK Ramana did give the immersion permissions, the state government said that the idols will be removed immediately after they are immersed in the waters. The SC also told the Telangana government to assure the court with an undertaking that these will not be continued from next year.
The CJI was joined with Justice Surya Kant with Justice Hima Kohli not being a part of the hearing as she was earlier posted as the Telangana High Court judge and had also passed certain orders in the same case during her time serving the state.
“This is the last chance. Telangana government should give an undertaking that this immersion will not happen from next year,” the top court said.
The Supreme Court has long remained disappointed with the Telangana government as despite multiple orders, the state government did not follow the directions. The Telangana High Court had passed orders instructing the government to stop the idol immersions and control the pollution due to it.
The court said, “Government should have taken steps at the beginning itself to ensure the right height and right material out of which idols are made,” while the state government called the immersion “symbolic” only as the idols will be lifted as soon as they are immersed.
Following orders from the Telangana High Court against immersing idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) in the lake, the GHMC approached the top court.
Passing the orders on September 13th, Justice MS Ramchandra Rao of Telangana High Court had said, “We respect religious sentiments, there is no scripture that says that we should only pray to Lord Ganesha idol made in plaster of Paris (PoP).”
Reasoning that some of the idols are “very tall” and it will be “difficult to change things in the middle of processions”, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the SC that complying with the orders would require more details.
However, Chief Justice Ramana slammed the Telangana government for not devising plans previously as it is an annual festival. “It’s not a new phenomenon. Every year this happens. You should have taken steps earlier,” he said.
Permission for idol immersion was granted for this year after the solicitor submitted the measures the government had taken to reduce pollution including removal of idols immediately after immersion and their transfer to solid waste disposal areas for safe and proper disposal of the idols.
“Lakhs of people will participate. Let us allow the immersion this year. They (the state government) are assuring that they will immediately lift the idol out and will not cause damage to the lake. But this is the last chance we are giving. Discipline and cooperation of people are important. Government should have taken precautions at the beginning itself. We are not happy with the government action either but last-minute changes also are not possible. The government will have to give an undertaking that this will not be done next year,” the top court concluded as the Telangana High Court had refused to alter its earlier orders.
