A 15-point directive has been issued by the Uniongovernment, including cordoning off ghats and imposing a fine of Rs. 50,000 toprevent immersion of idols in the Ganga or its tributaries during festivals.

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMGC) has issuedthe directives to Chief Secretaries in 11 Ganga basin states.

The directive stated that no idol immersion intoRiver Ganga and its tributaries on their banks. The directives have been issuedto the state of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal,Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Rajasthan.

These are the states which have been directed tostrictly implement the norms against the immersion of idols and disposal ofpuja material in the Ganga and its tributaries and to make suitable alternativearrangements in an environment-friendly manner.

Many states have been directed but the uniongovernment has not mentioned about the state of Assam as the state alsocelebrate many festivals like Durga Puja, Vishwakarma Puja, Saraswati Puja etc.and the idols are being immersed in the River Brahmaputra and as a result ofwhich the water gets polluted due to the colour used in the idols.

The directives have been issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 which states that River banks and ghats should be imposed Rs. 50,000 fine for immersion of idols and the same should be imposed on Assam too as thousands of idols are being immersed in the river every year.

The idols with all its toxic substances pollute the river and its tributaries and idol immersion in the river cause serious damages to the aquatic lives.

Therefore, the concerned circles have demanded similar penalties in Assam too to prevent the immersion of idols in the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries.