After devotees flout ban, 50 idols recovered from Rohtak canal

Despite the ban, devotees in a considerable number immersed idols in the BSB Canal passing through Rohtak during the Ganesha Mahotsav.

The violations came to light when activists of Suno Nahro Ki Pukar, a social outfit, recovered over 50 idols of lord Ganesha from the canal in the last two days. All idols were then buried in near the canal.

“During Ganesha Mahotsav, the district administration had imposed a ban on immersing idols of lord Ganesha in the canals and fixed Gau Karan Pond for the purpose, but many devotees did not go there. They came to the BSB canal as usual and immersed idols in it. We tried a lot to convince them not to do so but they paid no heed,” said Jasmer Singh, patron, Suno Nahro Ki Pukar.

He maintained that they had to call the police twice keeping in view a large number of devotees coming to the canal. Thereafter, the police managed to send them to Gau Karan pond for the purpose but many of them used the canal for idol immersion when neither volunteers nor cops were present there, he added.

“Our volunteers have been cleaning the canal for the past two days and have already recovered over 50 idols. Many more are likely to be recovered in the coming days,” said Jasmer, adding that all recovered idols were buried with rituals.

Deepak Chhara and Mukesh Nanakwal, other volunteers, said before the beginning of Ganesha Mahotsav, they had written to the district administration to prevent devotees from immersing idols in canals as it led to contamination of the water. Taking note of it, the authorities issued the notice restricting the immersion of idols in canals, they claimed.

Ajay Hooda, joint secretary of the outfit, said they had been ensuring cleanliness of the JLN and BSB canals for the past around three years by devoting more than three hours daily there.

“The canal water is supplied to houses for drinking purposes, hence we educate the people about ill-effects of dumping idols and other religious material in the canal by holding placards and organising lectures and seminars in educational institutes,” he added. He informed that Ranbir Malik, Ishwar Singh Dalal, Dr Ravinder Nandal, Preet Singh Ahlawat, Sant lal Budhwar, Jatin Malik, Anshu Nandal, Krishna, Saheb Singh Damar were among the volunteers who were cleaning the canal for the past two days.

Admn had fixed a pond for immersion

During Ganesha Mahotsav, the district administration had imposed a ban on immersing idols of lord Ganesha in the canals and fixed Gau Karan Pond for the purpose so that the contamination of water could be checked