Bijnor: In a development that highlights the growing awareness of environmental issues among locals, the Bengali community in Bijnor district broke with a 35-year-old tradition of immersing Durga idols in the Ganga . The community chose, instead, to immerse the idol in a small pond in the middle of agricultural fields.

Colonies such as Ghasiwala, Dharmnagri, Hemraj and Chandpura were inhabited by Bengalis in the early 1970s. The local community celebrates Durga Puja every year with the same zeal and enthusiasm seen in West Bengal. Tapan Pal, member of Chandpura Durga Puja Committee, said, “All idols have been made of clay and painted with eco-friendly paint. We have only used watercolors instead of traditional paint. We had ordered special colours from Kolkata. Even artisans had been called from Kolkata to work on these idols. We went to such great lengths to ensure that the water is not polluted and no harm comes to aquatic life.”

Ghasiwala resident Satyendra Biswas said, “My ancestors came from East Bengal long ago. The government of the day had given them a house and six acres of land. They stayed true to their tradition of immersing the idols in the Ganga because their settlement was very close to the river. This year, however, we decided to break with the tradition. That is why we picked a small pond in the area with no aquatic life.”

Chandpura resident Kamal Mandal said, “We decided to make eco-friendly idols this year because we realized we have a responsibility to protect our environment and rivers. Ganga is the lynchpin of our civilization. It is much more than just a river. It is our lifeline. The responsibility to ensure that our children grow up in a safe, clean atmosphere is upon us. That is why we must make serious strides in this direction.” Mandal pointed out that the Supreme Court has taken a tough stance against the immersion of idols in rivers and that it was the responsibility of locals to ensure the river was not harmed by their actions.