NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 24, 2015 (The Hindu): In a first, this festive season could see Delhiites getting fined US$77 for polluting the Yamuna if they immerse statues in stretches of the river not designated for the activity or use non-eco friendly materials. Officials will be stationed at seven ghats on Friday when Durga Puja festivities conclude with statues of the Goddess being immersed in the Yamuna.
Ashwani Kumar, the Secretary of the Environment and Forest Department, said on Wednesday that a series of meetings with the puja organising committees in the city had been held in the run-up. Most of the committees were already using eco-friendly statues, which don’t have toxic paints. But, what kind of materials individuals or families immerse remains in question.