Twenty-three waterbodies, mostly lakes and ponds, have been identified in Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, and Tiruvannamalai by respective district administrations and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) for idol immersion as part of Vinayagar Chaturthi, which will be celebrated on September 18.
Along with the local police, revenue officials have initiated safety measures, including the erection of wooden barricades near the waterbodies and the creation of pathways to allow the idol procession to the lakes.
During the immersion of idols, a team of police personnel will be deployed in the identified waterbodies to ensure the safety of participants. The police team will also ensure that idol immersion takes place near the bund of the lakes as part of safety measures. A video will be taken of the entire procession.
Revenue officials said that most of the identified waterbodies were maintained by the Water Resources Department (WRD). As a result, strict guidelines have been issued to the organisers of the events during the celebrations to prevent contamination of the water in these lakes. These waterbodies are mostly used for irrigation and the recharge of groundwater in the area. Local bodies also dug borewells around the bund of these lakes to supply water for their residents.
In Tiruvannamalai, lakes such as Thamarai Kulam, Polur Lake, Singarapettai Lake, Konarirayan Kulam, Aithu Kaan Varapathi Lake, and Bhuma Chetty Kulam, will be allowed for idol immersion. In Ranipet district, six lakes in Ranipet, Arcot and Arakkonam towns have been identified for this purpose. Adhiyur, Tirupattur town; Kallukuttai, Natrampalli; Santrorkuppam, Ambur; Ponneri, Jolar Pettai, and Pallipattu, Vaniyambadi; are the six chosen in Tirupattur district.
Four lakes in Vellore and Gudiyatham towns will be allowed for idol immersion.
TNPCB officials said that idols made of only natural, biodegradable, eco-friendly raw materials without any toxic, inorganic raw materials such as traditional virtuous clay and mud, as well as plaster of Paris (PoP), plastic, and thermocol (polystyrene), will be permitted for safe immersion in waterbodies. Also, only dried flower components and straw should be used for making ornaments for idols. Any use of toxic and non-biodegradable chemical dyes or oil paints for painting idols has been strictly prohibited.
