Oxygen level goes down with idols

The oxygen content in the waters of the Ganga in West Bengal has gone down after Durga puja, a study reveals. The investigation, conducted b...

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The oxygen content in the waters of the Ganga in West Bengal has gone down after Durga puja, a study reveals. The investigation, conducted by Saviours and Friend of Environment (SFE), a Kolkata-based NGO, says that in all, about 10,000 idols — including those of gods and goddesses like Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganesha who flank Durga — were immersed in the river last Tuesday. This resulted in the oxygen content dipping to 2-2.5 mg per litre as compared to the normal of 6-9 mg.

‘‘Not only for fishes, but the water is unsafe even for bathing,’’ says pollution control expert associated with SFE S.M. Ghosh. This is all because of the ‘‘high-level of creativity that goes into making the idols for Durga puja,’’ says Gitanath Ganguly, a legal activist also associated with the SFE.

‘‘There’s a thick layer of oil, colour and undissolved chemicals floating on the water surface. One has to just visit ghats, like the Babu Ghat, Prince Ghat and others, to see the quality of water,’’ says Ghosh.

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The immersion has also increased the Suspended Solids (technically known TSS) to 2,120 milligram from the permissible limit of 100 milligram per litre. ‘‘This implies more skin diseases, like allergies, skin rashes for those who bathe in the river everyday. And don’t even think about the fishes,’’ says chemical analyst of the group, Sudipta Bhattacharjee.

Ganguly says the NGO will carry on investigations for a few more months. ‘‘If we don’t get any response either from the state government or the municipal corporation, we will have to move the courts.’’

But Kolkata Mayor Subrato Mukherjee has assured The Indian Express that his office has taken up the matter with the state government. ‘‘We may discuss the issue at length with the state government after Kali puja (November 4),’’ he says.