Devotion or Destruction?: Ganesha idols float and stink in canals

Hundreds of vehicles from Mysuru dump idols inside canals at Pump House near Srirangapatna

Srirangapatna: Despite a blanket ban on Plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesha idols and the strict enforcement of the ban by the Mysuru City Corporation notwithstanding, hundreds of PoP idols are floating inside water canals in and around Srirangapatna. The RBLL canals from the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam are located near Pump House

The floating of idols has raised the question of whether these people really follow the Hindu dharma. Pomp and gaiety are displayed during the idol installation and the daily pujas and other rituals are not shown when the idols are immersed. They are carelessly dumped in waterbodies, raising a stink.

Garbage is strewn all over the canal banks and deposited in the puddles along the banks, threatening the flora and fauna. Artificial pits created earlier along the canals and on their sides are also full of trash. The entire area is reeking of a foul smell.

Also, no one from the Panchayat or the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited has come forward so far to clean up the canals even a week after the conclusion of the Ganesha Puja. Some local youths bought nets and started fishing out idols floating or submerged in the canal but their efforts are too little when compared to the magnitude of the idols discarded.

Careless and irresponsible disposal of idols generates a lot of waste in water bodies that leads to water pollution. The residue of flowers, fruits, and incense sticks in polythene bags creates dumps and gradually, stink spreads. As most of the idols are made with PoP, calcium sulphate hemihydrate materials, they take several months to get dissolved causing prolonged water pollution.

Local residents and villagers allege that hundreds of vehicles coming from Mysuru side have dumped idols in the canal. The water supplied through the canal reaches many tail-end farmers and the water is used for irrigation and also for drinking water purposes.

The colours that are used for decorating the idols mainly consist of lead and mercury which is highly toxic. It increases the acid component in water that destroys plants and marine life disturbing the overall ecosystem.

“Despite a wider acceptance of clay idols and awareness about the harm caused to aquatic life by PoP idols, many from Mysuru come here to dump their beloved God. This is an annual feature and so far, no action has been taken to prevent this menace,” a resident said.