The Allahabad High Court today relaxed its ban on the immersion of idols in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers "for this year only" after an appeal by the Uttar Pradesh government.
The order came a day after the court refused to modify its earlier order banning immersion of the idols in the rivers in Allahabad district.
Today's order came after a special hearing, held on a request made by the state's Advocate General S P Gupta. Arun Tandon agreed to allow immersion at "old sites" in addition to a new site proposed in Phaphamau area on the outskirts of the city.
The court passed the order after perusal of a report of the Local Intelligence Unit submitted along with the District Magistrate's affidavit in which apprehensions of "law and order problems" were raised in the wake of a change in the routes of 'visarjan' processions.
Noting the Advocate General's submission that the state shall submit a detailed proposal for developing an alternative site at Allahabad as well as all other riparian districts of the state, the court made it clear that immersion in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers here was being allowed "for this year only" and "from 2014, the prohibition on immersion of idols of Goddess Durga and other idols in the river be implemented".
The court had banned immersion of idols in the rivers at Allahabad vide two orders passed last year and had refused to relax the restrictions when an application to the effect was moved by the district administration on October 7 and by the Bengali Welfare Association yesterday.
