The Siliguri Municipal Corporation has taken several steps this time to save the Mahananda river from pollution due to the immersion of goddess Durga's idols. Several idols are immersed in rivers on the eve of Dussehra after the nine-day long Durga Puja comes to an end, which ends up choking the rivers.
According to the North Bengal Development Minister, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), in association with Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA), has deployed workers to collect structures as soon as they are immersed in the water to prevent water pollution.
"This is the first time SMC has taken certain steps to clear the river. Huge manpowers are being utilized for this purpose and the whole night our workers are taking back the structures as soon as they are put in the river," said Goutam Deb, North Bengal Development Minister.
He also added that last time SMC started acting after the immersions, but now they have cleared up the river as soon as idols are immersed to reduce the level of pollution.
Around 1,000 pandals are conducted by various organizers across the city of Siliguri West Bengal, where thousands of people come from various districts of the North Bengal and its outskirts to visit the puja pandals in the city.