NO SURVEY AT UNITS
OF MANUFACTURING
>> The Board has also not carried out any survey at Ganesh idols manufacturing units to ascertain if PoP is used prior to the festival season
>> GSPCB chairman says there is no notification for action on PoP idols. The data limit is not set and also adverse effect of PoP has not been listed
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END OF A PRACTICE
>> Since 2014, GSPCB has been collecting samples from different water bodies before and after immersions of idols followed by a comparative study of pollutants due PoP idols
>> The GSPCB last year had collected samples from 12 water bodies both before and after immersion and conducted tests based on different parameters
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PANAJI: Breaking away from its practice of conducting water quality study exercise during Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) will not engage itself in any such exercise this year. The GSPCB has been carrying out the exercise since 2014 to study the effects of pollution in water following immersion of Plaster of Paris idols.
Since 2014, GSPCB officials have been collecting samples from different water bodies before and after immersions of Ganesha idols followed by a comparative study of pollutants due to plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesh idols.
Previous studies have indicated that there is no water pollution in rivers and water bodies due to Ganesh idol immersion.
The GSPCB last year had collected samples from 12 water bodies both before and after immersion and conducted tests on different parameters.
The places that were monitored include River Mandovi ferry point; Charkhamba (Mansher) Panaji; Mapusa Taricode; Carambolim Lake; Chereband Cuncolim; Near railway bridge, Khandiwada, curchorem; Paraste, pednem; river Daudkiwada-velus; Near Orcotto bridge Sanguem; Pimpalcotto, Sanguem; Panefond, Kinlebag, Canacona; Baina beach, Vasco.
Asked about whether this type of study will be done this year, GSPCB chairman Ganesh Shetgaonkar replied in the negative.“We have received 2 samples for testing from Valpoi. Out of the 2 samples, 1 sample of Ganesh idol tested positive for PoP (around 23 %) and a report has been sent to environment department for further action,” Shetgaonkar said.
The Board has also not carried out any survey at Ganesh idols manufacturing units to ascertain if PoP is used prior to the festival season, he added.
“There is no notification for action on PoP idols. The data limit is not set and also adverse effect of Plaster of Paris has not been listed”.
He further added GSPCB will not take action on its own. Goa handicrafts corporation has been requested to collect idols and send it to pollution control board for checking.
