Nagpur: Navratri precisely inferred as ‘Nine Nights’ in sanskrit is one of the extensively celebrated festivals of Indians concluding with Devi Visarjan befalling with Dussehra. The festival comprises of worshipping Nav Durga, known as ‘Mother Divine’ for nine days invoking in different forms symbolizing purity and power.
The carnival includes sacred puja, fasting and night-long dance commonly known as ‘Garba’.The festivity is commenced by immersing the installed Goddess idol or Ghat and Jao ( grass) in the water bodies. There has been whooping increase in awareness amongst devotees of the ill impacts due to idol immersion in the water bodies , so adopting eco-friendly idol immersion is on escalation, but this is circumscribed only to Ganpati Visarjan , where huge arrangements and provisions are facilitated. However, Devi Visarjan is correspondingly contributing to the lakes deteriorating condition.
Green Comrade Kaustav Chatterjee, of Green Vigil Foundation, illustrating about the condition of city’s lakes , stated, lakes of Nagpur have not yet recovered from the ruthless impact of Ganpati Visarjan, the festival of Devi Visarjan knocked the door. Unlike Ganpati Visarjan, facilities were not at place making worse for the lakes which were already reported with huge dip in low dissolved oxygen level and high turbidity.
Green Vigil Foundation sharing a vision of shared sustainable future, irrespective of the shortcomings was in continuous process of fighting for saving lakes with high life-force and zest, convincing disciples to handover Nirmalyas and restricting immersion of Ghats and Jao in the artificial tanks being installed at futala lake. On first day of Devi visarjan, members have been successful in diverting 70 Ghats with jau to artificial tank.
While talking to Nagpur Today, Dr. Kavita Rattan, Founder President of Green Vigil Foundation stated Green Vigil has been emphasising on protecting lake and river ecosystems. We have been putting in dedicated efforts towards awareness , education & activism for protecting lakes of Nagpur. However, due to lack of stringent frameworks, there is little that can be achieved as evident from the current state of these water bodies. All stakeholders, including citizens and NMC need to come together to join the effort to make this successful, she added.
