Guidelines For Vinayakar Chaturthi Celebrations
The Superintendent of Police, Coimbatore Rural District, G. Karthikeyan has issued a set of fourteen guidelines for ensuring smooth and peaceful conduct of the Vinayakar Chaturthi celebrations and immersion processions. In a release, Mr.Karthikeyan said that as per the High Court order, in the interest of environment and to avoid pollution of water bodies, the idols should be made of either clay or papier-mâché. Idols made of plaster of paris would not be allowed for installation or immersion. As per the court order and to avoid pollution, the organisers of Chaturthi celebrations should ensure that idols are painted avoiding chemical based paints. Failure to comply with these guidelines would amount to contempt of the High Court order. Idols should not exceed a particular height and the restriction was to ensure that the idols did not come into contact with the live overhead electric lines while being taken out in a procession for immersion. Permission would not be granted for installation of more idols and the organisers should stick to the same number of idols that were installed last year. The immersion procession should go only on the routes that were permitted last year and no permission would be accorded for new routes.
The places where the idols had been installed should have only tin, zinc or iron sheet roofing and inflammable materials such as thatched roof would not be permitted. Immersion procession should stick to the time schedule and a committee comprising minimum of 20 persons should be formed for protecting the idols. Organisers should have adequate lighting around the idol besides ensuring fire safety measures. In the event of the place of installation of the idol belonging to a private person, a ‘No objection’ certificate should be obtained. The organisers should not resort to bursting of crackers during the immersion procession.
