The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a PIL seeking immersion of Durga idols in a temporary pond on the banks of the Ganges in Prayagraj Sangam area.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice J.J Munir passed this order while hearing a PIL filed by Pronob Kumar Roy and another.
The petition in public interest was filed seeking adherence to the orders dated September 19, 2014 and October 5, 2015 passed by the Court in Public Interest Litigation (PIL), with reference to immersion of Durga idols.
The stand taken by the petitioners is that the order passed by the Court is being violated whereas the stand taken by the respondents is that the place which was earlier being used for immersion of idols of Durga was under water of river Ganga, hence, it was not possible to use the same place for immersion of idols of Durga.
The place, as shown by the petitioners in the photographs annexed with the supplementary affidavit, belongs to the army, hence, it cannot be used for the purpose.
In 2019, a temporary pond was constructed at Andawa and immersion of Durga idols was carried out there. The same system is being followed this year as well. Three jettys are being built to enable people to immerse idols of Durga safely. The necessary arrangements shall be made upto October 3, 2022.
“After hearing counsel for the parties and considering the stand taken by the respondents, in our opinion, no case is made out for any interference by the Court, as in 2019 as well, immersion of idols of Durga was carried out in same pond, as has been planned for the purpose, the proper arrangements have already been made by the respondents,” the Court observed while dismissing the PIL.