Awaaz Foundation
  • Welcome
  • Noise Pollution
    • What you can do
    • Loudspeaker and Festival Noise Reports >
      • Diwali 2019
    • Traffic Noise
    • Railway Noise
    • Construction Noise
    • Urban helipads
    • Urban planning, noise mapping, noise barriers
    • Silence Zones
    • Rules and Court Orders
    • Advocacy with Government
    • Awareness Campaigns
    • Publications and Resources
    • News Features
    • News
  • Sand Mining
    • Site visits
    • Public Interest Litigation
    • Advocacy and Awareness
    • Representations to Government
    • Publications and Resources
    • News Features
    • Sand Mining News
    • Alternatives to sand
    • United Nations
    • Government of India Rules
    • Government of Maharashtra Rules
  • Other Campaigns
    • Stone quarrying or recycling debris >
      • Representations to Government
      • News
    • Alibag Solid Waste Management >
      • Kihim Beach Clean up
      • SWM Rules
      • News
    • Firecrackers
    • Light Pollution >
      • News Light Pollution
    • Sawantwadi-Dodamarg Wildlife Corridor >
      • Public Interest Litigation
      • Notifications and Committees
      • Representations to Government
      • News
    • MITRA (Movement against Intimidation, Threat and Violence against Activists) >
      • Public Interest Litigation
      • Representations to Government
      • Resources and Publications
      • MITRA News
    • Eco friendly Festivals >
      • Holi colours testing
      • Origami Ganesh
      • News
    • Air Pollution >
      • News Air Pollution
    • Oil Spills >
      • Oil Spills on Alibag Beaches
      • News Oil Spills
    • Coastal Road and Development Plan >
      • News
    • Urban Trees >
      • Public Interest Litigation
      • Representations to Government
      • Publications and Presentations
      • News
    • Anti Smoking >
      • Public Interest Litigation
    • Miscellaneous News
  • About
    • Awards
    • Documentaries
    • Television
    • Publications
    • Videos
    • News Features
    • Presentations and Seminars
    • Awareness Campaigns
    • Sumaira Abdulali

‘No such thing as eco-friendly immersion’

9/22/2015

0 Comments

 
​‘No such thing as eco-friendly immersion’
Anahita Mukherji| TNN | Sep 22, 2015, 02.45 AM IST
MUMBAI:


While eco-friendly Ganeshas are in vogue this season, it's well worth remembering that, if immersed in the sea, or worse still, in rivers or lakes, their impact on the environment can be disastrous. While Ganeshas made of organic matter are replacing plaster of Paris idols, scientists say huge quantities of organic matter released into the sea are toxic.
"Even if you make Ganpatis out of flowers and rice, fish will die with such large quantities released into the sea. Immersions in ponds and lakes are even more dangerous, as the dilution levels are very low. The large quantities of water in the sea, as well as tidal fluctuations, help restore the water to normal. However, this does not occur in lakes and ponds, where the material from the immersed Ganpatis will remain the year round," says Rakesh Kumar, chief scientist and head of the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute in Mumbai.
He feels people are currently looking only at incremental improvements in pollution levels around the festival, such as replacing plaster of Paris with organic matter. "But we need to look at the bigger picture," he says.
Environmentalist Sumaira Abdulali says that even if all the plaster of Paris idols are replaced with organic idols, releasing them into the sea changes the balance of the ecosystem. "If people recycle Ganeshas, they should do so it in such a way that the recycled material is returned to the ecosystem in which it belongs, and not into another ecosystem," she says.
Immersions in artificial ponds, says Kumar, is a better option, as dirty water is not immediately released into the sea and can be let out in small quantities. Though this may be a relatively cleaner option, it is not 100% eco-friendly, either. "When you drain these ponds, the polluted water goes back into the earth and returns to us through the food chain. Also, while it is expected that water from the ponds will be decontaminated before releasing it into the sea, in practice, it does not always happen," says Abdulali.
Kumar says Ganeshas made of material that can be recycled are the best option. Kumar cited instances of metal Ganeshas being immersed, removed from the water and carried back home.
Abdulali, too advocates recycling Ganeshas. "The idols should be made of a substance that can be recast into a Ganesh next year round. For instance, people could make a silver Ganesh, which can later be recast into a statue next year," she says.
 
0 Comments

Diwali Do Gooders

11/11/2012

0 Comments

 
0 Comments
Forward>>

    Firecrackers

    High levels of air pollution and noise pollution are generated by firecrackers. making them unhealthy and unsuitable for recreational use at any time.

    Archives

    October 2018
    August 2017
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    November 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

About Awaaz Foundation

ABOUT
​
AWARDS
​
PUBLICATIONS

​DOCUMENTARY FILMS
​
PRESENTATIONS
​
VIDEOS

SUPPORTERS AND PARTNERSHIPS
​
LITIGATION
Noise Pollution
Sand Mining
Sawantwadi-Dodamarg
​

Awareness Campaigns
​

#HORNVRAT
​
NOISE ANNOYS
​
MUMBAI SPEAKS UP
​
#GETWELLSOONMUMBAI
​

#TELLTHEDRIVER
​
CITIZENS' NOISE MAP
​
#YOURAWAAZAGAINST NOISE
​
TIME FOR ACTION
​
DON'T BURY THE ISSUE OF SAND MINING
​
ORIGAMI GANESH

NO HONKING  DAY 2008

MISCELLANEOUS CAMPAIGNS

Press Features


​TELEVISION DEBATES
​
PRESS FEATURES
​
NOISE POLLUTION FEATURES
​
SAND MINING FEATURES
News

NOISE POLLUTION NEWS
​
SAND MINING NEWS
​
ALIBAG SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT NEWS
​
SAWANTWADI-DODAMARG NEWS
​
FIRECRACKERS NEWS
​
ECO FRIENDLY FESTIVALS
​
DC PLAN AND COASTAL ROAD

URBAN TREES NEWS
​
MITRA NEWS
​
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
Picture
  • Welcome
  • Noise Pollution
    • What you can do
    • Loudspeaker and Festival Noise Reports >
      • Diwali 2019
    • Traffic Noise
    • Railway Noise
    • Construction Noise
    • Urban helipads
    • Urban planning, noise mapping, noise barriers
    • Silence Zones
    • Rules and Court Orders
    • Advocacy with Government
    • Awareness Campaigns
    • Publications and Resources
    • News Features
    • News
  • Sand Mining
    • Site visits
    • Public Interest Litigation
    • Advocacy and Awareness
    • Representations to Government
    • Publications and Resources
    • News Features
    • Sand Mining News
    • Alternatives to sand
    • United Nations
    • Government of India Rules
    • Government of Maharashtra Rules
  • Other Campaigns
    • Stone quarrying or recycling debris >
      • Representations to Government
      • News
    • Alibag Solid Waste Management >
      • Kihim Beach Clean up
      • SWM Rules
      • News
    • Firecrackers
    • Light Pollution >
      • News Light Pollution
    • Sawantwadi-Dodamarg Wildlife Corridor >
      • Public Interest Litigation
      • Notifications and Committees
      • Representations to Government
      • News
    • MITRA (Movement against Intimidation, Threat and Violence against Activists) >
      • Public Interest Litigation
      • Representations to Government
      • Resources and Publications
      • MITRA News
    • Eco friendly Festivals >
      • Holi colours testing
      • Origami Ganesh
      • News
    • Air Pollution >
      • News Air Pollution
    • Oil Spills >
      • Oil Spills on Alibag Beaches
      • News Oil Spills
    • Coastal Road and Development Plan >
      • News
    • Urban Trees >
      • Public Interest Litigation
      • Representations to Government
      • Publications and Presentations
      • News
    • Anti Smoking >
      • Public Interest Litigation
    • Miscellaneous News
  • About
    • Awards
    • Documentaries
    • Television
    • Publications
    • Videos
    • News Features
    • Presentations and Seminars
    • Awareness Campaigns
    • Sumaira Abdulali