Water samples collected from ghats to check pollution level

GUWAHATI: With the immersion of Durga idols almost over, officials of the Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) have started collecting water samples from different ghats to check the level of pollution.

Around 500 Durga Pujas were held in different parts of the Kamrup (Metropolitan) area. The administration has earmarked seven locations for idol immersion that started from Tuesday and continued till Wednesday evening.

The seven locations are Sunsali ghat, Chandrapur , Basistha Ghat, Saukuchi Ghat, Kasomari Ghat and Pandu Ghat and Dharapur . At Kasomari Ghat in Fancy Bazar, over 300 idols were immersed on Tuesday.

While majority of the idols were immersed on Tuesday, some were done on Wednesday.

"Majority of the idols from about 500 puja pandals were immersed on Tuesday. The entire immersion process was conducted smoothly," a district administration official said. The official added that immersion continued at Pandu Ghat in the evening on Wednesday.

PCBA officials said that since Tuesday, water samples from all the ghats have been collected.

"The samples were collected to ascertain whether the pollution levels are within the prescribed limit. The preliminary findings are expected to come out in next three days, while the findings on presence of heavy metals is expected to take some more time," a PCBA official said