ALLAHABAD: The Allahabad high court has banned with immediate effect the immersion of idols in the Ganga and Yamuna at Allahabad. While the order is applicable to Vijaya Dashmi on October 14 this year, the court has directed the state government to ensure its implementation across UP from next year.

The court directed the Allahabad district administration to identify and develop other places for immersions. It also asked the state to direct district administrations of areas through which the Ganga and Yamuna passed through to ensure that alternative immersion sites come up next year.

The directives on Monday came on a PIL seeking on pollution of the two rivers. A division bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Arun Tandon said it had recorded in its order on November 6, 2012 the stand of district administrations that alternative site would be found after Durga Puja. Therefore, the court had directed the state to find out suitable alternative place for immersion of idols before the next Durga Puja festival so that immersion of idols is avoided in the river Ganga and Yamuna.

However, the court said, after examining the affidavit of the Allahabad district magistrate it found that hardly any effective steps had been in the past one year to arrange for suitable alternative places for immersion. The date of immersion is fixed well in advance but the administration failed to make any alternative arrangement, it said

"We are of the view that the administration must find out alternative appropriate places with sufficient water and provide necessary facilities including the route, road lights etc for immersion of the idols," the court directed.