Bhubaneswar: The municipal corporation has constructed three separate artificial ponds to immerse idols starting from Ganesh Puja.

The three ponds have been constructed at Kuakhai bridge near Pandara, near Tankapani Road and another one at Lingipur adjacent to Daya bridge.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has developed these immersion sites to ensure minimal pollution to the water bodies and rivers.

According to city engineer Debasundar Mohapatra, the sizes of the ponds would be need-based. For Ganesh Puja, the ponds would be small and later for Durga Puja they would be made bigger to accommodate hundreds of idols.

Earlier, the civic body had build temporary immersion ponds during Durga Puja, but from this year the facilities would be there for all immersion activities starting from Ganesh Puja and continuing till Saraswati Puja in February. This objective is to achieve zero pollution from the immersion activities in and around the city.

While Division-I of the BMC has constructed an immersion pond near Pandara on the bank of the Kuakhai, Division-II has constructed similar facilities near the riverbank at Tankapani bridge and another near Lingipur at Daya bridge.

According to guidelines, the immersion ponds are made with a membrane insulated layer so that immersion-generated toxic water doesn't get mixed up. After the layers are removed from the idols, the water is treated with chemicals such as bleaching powder and then it is pumped out to avoid it getting mixed up with the river water.

Dillip Behera, who is the senior environmental scientist of Odisha State Pollution Control Board, said: "The effort is a welcome step towards keeping the river water away from polluting elements. The artificial chemicals of idols could add to the miseries of the people staying downstream.''

According to environmentalists, metal compounds such as lead, cadmium, chromium and nickel are largely found in artificial colours and if idols are immersed in rivers, the water might acquire carcinogenic attributes.

Environmentalist Bijay Mishra said: "Bio-degradable substances such as straw, paper and flowers will decompose in the water and the process will deplete the dissolved oxygen in the water. The BMC effort will definitely help in better upkeep of river water quality.''