NGT Flays TN for Allowing Immersion of Banned PoP Ganesha Idols in Sea

Concerns over public order cannot justify violations, says tribunal, posts matter to Sept 19

- S V Krishna Chaitanya @ Chennai

The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has pulled up the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday for permitting the immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) Vinayagar idols into the sea, in violation of pollution control norms, court orders and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules.

Hearing a plea on the large-scale dumping of construction debris for facilitating idol immersions on an ecologically-sensitive coastal stretch in Pattinapakkam, Chennai, used by Olive Ridley turtles for nesting, the tribunal said the state had failed to enforce eco-friendly guidelines.