FWD: Idol immersions in Ganges hurt dolphins

[Guest guest]

This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling.

 

Comment from sender:

 

 

This article is from The Star Online

URL: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/10/24/asia/9218747 & sec=asia

 

________________________

 

Sunday October 24, 2004

Idol immersions in Ganges hurt dolphins

 

 

PATNA (India): Pollution from immersing thousands of Hindu idols in India & #039;s

sacred Ganges river is threatening dolphins and other aquatic creatures such as

turtles, environmentalists said yesterday.

 

Goddess Durga idols, lavishly coloured with synthetic paints and embellished

with metal ornaments and weapons, are plunged into the Ganges every year in a

ceremonial farewell at the end of a major Hindu festival, Dussehra.

 

& #147;Every year, idols made of plaster of Paris, synthetic materials and (a)

large amount of non-biodegradable coloured paints cause severe pollution in the

Ganges, & #148; said Guddu Baba, who leads a movement to clean up the river

considered holy by Hindus.

 

In the eastern Bihar state capital of Patna alone, nearly 5,000 litres of paint

would be released into the Ganges from the liberal amounts of colour daubed on

every Durga idol, Baba said.

 

Thousands more idols would be immersed in the Ganges all over eastern India

where the Durga festival is the key event on the Hindu calendar. The goddess

Durga is worshipped for having vanquished demons and saved humanity.

 

& #147;In nearly every town along Ganges, thousands of Durga idols are immersed

and local authorities don & #039;t even think of the environmental threat, & #148;

said R.K. Sinha, who has been waging a campaign to help the river dolphins.

 

Sandeep Behera, coordinator for Freshwater Species under India & #039;s

Freshwater and Wetlands Conservation Programme, said river dolphins in the

Ganges had dwindled to a few thousand from tens of thousands at the start of

last century. & #150; AFP

 

<p>

 

________________________

Your one-stop information portal:

The Star Online

http://thestar.com.my

http://biz.thestar.com.my

http://classifieds.thestar.com.my

http://cards.thestar.com.my

http://search.thestar.com.my

http://star-motoring.com

http://star-space.com

http://star-jobs.com

http://star-ecentral.com

http://star-techcentral.com

 

1995-2004 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written

permission of Star Publications is prohibited.