India's "toxic" Hindu idols choke rivers: activists

By Nita Bhalla

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The immersion of thousands of statues of Hindu gods containing toxic chemicals into India's rivers and lakes every year poses a pollution threat as festivals become increasingly commercialized, environmentalists said.

Hindus across India celebrate various religious festivals in September and October, paying homage to deities like Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, and Goddess Durga, the destroyer of evil.

Elaborately painted and decorated idols are worshipped before mass processions take them to nearby rivers, lakes and the sea where they are immersed in accordance with Hindu faith.

But environmentalists say the idols are often made from non-biodegradable materials such as plastic, cement and plaster of Paris and painted using toxic dyes.

"The commercialization of holy festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja has meant people want bigger and brighter idols and are no longer happy with the ones made from eco-friendly materials," said Ramapati Kumar, a toxics campaigner for Greenpeace India.

"Traditionally, the idols were made from mud and clay and vegetable-based dyes were used to paint them but now it's more like a competition between households and between corporates who sponsor the idols to gain publicity."

Environmentalists said materials like plaster of Paris do not dissolve easily and reduce the oxygen level in the water resulting in the death of fish and other aquatic organisms.

Also, the paints used contain heavy metals such as mercury, chromium and lead which are carcinogenous, said activists, adding that this could adversely affect drinking water.