The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently disposed of a PIL on the water pollution caused by the immersion of effigies, idols in Jabalpur.
The PIL had been filed by petitioners Avinash Khatri and others in 2009 with the prayer that the respondents be directed to restrain the pollution of water tanks/reservoirs/ponds of Jabalpur city viz. Hanumantal, Adhartal, Ranital, Gokalpur, Gullouwa talaab, etc. by immersion of effigies, idols or any kind of hazardous material. The prayer was also made to direct the respondents to prepare a time-bound scheme to prevent pollution of water bodies.
Harpreet Singh Ruprah, Counsel for the Municipal Corporation Jabalpur, submitted before the High Court that now two huge tanks have been built by the Municipal Corporation in Tilwaraghat and Gwarighat for immersing idols during Ganesh Puja and Durga Puja and any other kind of festival and therefore, the grievance of the petitioners has already been redressed.
The Bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla disposed of the petition in view of the above statement. Swapnil Ganguly, Deputy Advocate General, appeared for the State Government.