New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday dismissed a plea to ban idol immersions in water bodies across the country, saying restrictions would militate against the fundamental right of a section of citizens to profess and practice the religion of their choice.
A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice J.M. Panchal dismissed the plea against idol immersions in water bodies, brushing aside petitioner Salek Chand Jain’s fervent plea that the age-old practice was polluting rivers and other water bodies beyond redemption.

The Delhi resident’s counsel contended before the bench that the immersion of idols in water bodies contaminates the water and makes it non-potable.

Lawyer Sugreeva Dubey argued that the Hindu religious practice not only flouted his fundamental right to life but also the provisions of the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

He said the large-scale immersion of idols on the occasion of Dussehra this year clogged the Yamuna river to the extent that the regular production of 200 million gallons of water per day (MGD) at the Haiderpur Water Treatment Plant had significantly come down and the Delhi Jal Board had to manually clear the debris from the river.

He said water bodies all over the country faced significant contamination due to the immersion of various deities all over India.