PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa has directed one Vijayanand Kankonkar to, with the help of police protection, carry out the rituals and immerse several Ganesh idols that were kept on the edge of a well in Chimbel in defiance of the High Court order, which had directed that the idols be immersed in the well in the absence of any other available clean spot for immersion.
“We cannot retain such idols left unattended at the side of the well. In view of our order dated 05/09/2024, directions were given to the villagers to carry out immersion of the idols in the well. However, in defiance of such orders, the idols were kept by the side of the well without carrying out immersion in the well. We request the State Government to give Police Protection to the Applicant to carry out such procedure,” the High Court said.
Controversy erupted after it was found that the water body where the villagers used to originally used to immerse the idols that is located in a disputed property, was filled up with mud, coconut saplings, coconut leaves, coconut husk, wooden logs, banana plantation trunks and leaves with an unclean pathway. It also states that the speed of excavation and cleaning is slow due to less number of labourers.
However, even though the labourers were cleaning up the water body, it wasn’t expected to be completed in time for the festival.
The festival has sentiments and immersion is required to be carried out in clean and fresh water and not in a place where mud, coconut shells, coconut leaves, husk, wooden logs, banana plantation trunks and leaves are dumped.
“Considering the photographs and situation, we direct that the immersion of the Ganesh idols by the villagers shall be performed in the well which is identified and which is at a distance of 9.80 metres from the entrance. We make it clear that such an arrangement is only for this year and without prejudice to the rights of the villagers in respect of the pond/water body which is located 89 metres inside the suit property,” the High Court said.
The villagers were interested in immersing the idols in the old location located nearly 90 metres within the disputed property and appeared upset to have been ordered to immerse the idols in a well only 10 metres within the property.
“We make it clear that the above arrangement for the immersion of Ganesh idols is only for this year and without prejudice to the rights of the villagers. We also clarify that immersion of only idols made of clay could be permitted in the said well,” the High Court had said, however the villagers left the idols on the edge of the well without immersion.
