NGT issues notice to Ministry of Environment on idol immersion

November 10, 2013

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the Ministry of Environment & Forest and Ministry of Water Resources regarding immersions of idols in rivers and water bodies of the country.

The notice has been issued following a petition filed to the NGT by an environmentalist Subhas Datta demanding a “uniform, practical, pragmatic” and well-accepted “standard operating procedure” for immersions.

The petition seeks a high powered committee/apex body like the NGT to monitor immersions in the country. The petition also suggests that while coming up with a standard operating procedure for immersion of idols, opinions and suggestions from religious gurus, environmental experts, social activists and scientists be taken.

The petition points to a recent order passed by the Allahabad High Court, which has imposed a “complete ban on immersion of idols in Ganga”, and questions how the practice can be permitted in West Bengal where the number of immersions is much higher than in Uttar Pradesh.

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