The back-to-back immersions during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja have left the Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad polluted.
Understanding the problem and severity of the situation, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) formed a special Durga Puja action team to clean up the pollution after the festival.
The lake has been the main source of immersion of idols, and the paint used for the idols is harmful to the environment. Thousands of idols that use up the same paint are immersed in the lake causing pollution. It has also affected the oxygen level of the water in the lake.
Speaking to ANI, Additional Commissioner of GHMC, Hari Chandana said, "We have special Durga Puja action team for our sanitation wing. And, there will be 10 members dedicated for cleaning up the lakes, ponds, and also the Durga pandals. They will be equipped with vehicles to take the garbage out from the area."
"So these special teams will be in action throughout the four-five days. Apart from these lakes, we have put special pumping mechanisms, and have put teams at the lakes to see that nobody drowns and regular cleaning happens at these lakes," she added.
The immersion of Durga idols begins after the last day of Durga Puja.