Bhopal- Bhopal, celebrated as the City of Lakes, is silently choking under the weight of its own faith. Once considered the city’s lifeline, Bhopal’s water bodies, the Upper Lake (Bhojtal), Lower Lake, Shahpura, and Hathaikheda are today grappling with alarming levels of pollution, sedimentation, and toxic contamination, largely intensified during religious festivities.
Recently, the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) released a report assessing the impact of Ganesh idol immersion on the city’s lakes. The study recorded the condition of the lakes in three stages: before, during, and after immersion. According to the MPPCB, traces of zinc, chromium, copper, lead, cadmium, and cobalt were detected in Bhopal’s lakes after the immersion of Ganesh idols. These metals leach from idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) and synthetic paints, releasing gypsum, sulphur, and heavy metals into the water. What was once a ritual of devotion has quietly turned into an ecological wound, especially for the Upper and Lower Lakes, the twin hearts of the capital city. While the report claims that water quality has returned to a satisfactory condition post-immersion, environmental experts are far from convinced.
Weeks have passed since Durga Visarjan, yet the Pollution Control Board has neither published a report nor commented on its impact. Environmentalists argue that the scale and materials used in Durga idols could have an even greater effect on lake ecology than Ganesh idols.
According to MPPCB’s official data, samples taken from Upper Lake, Shahpura, Hathaikheda, and Rani Kamlapati Ghats revealed traces of zinc, copper, lead, cadmium, chromium, and cobalt, all toxic heavy metals that harm aquatic life. The report notes a decline in the concentration of these metals after idol immersion, attributing this to increased dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and rainfall dilution during the festival period.
According to Brijesh Sharma, Regional Officer of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB), the board conducts water quality monitoring of the city’s lakes in three phases before, during, and after the immersion of idols during Ganesh Utsav. The data, he said, is published on the board’s official website.
Sharma informed that while the Ganesh Visarjan report has been released, the Durga idol immersion analysis is still underway. Our findings show no significant deterioration in water quality after Ganesh Visarjan, except for a marginal rise in Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) levels, he said.
He added that though Ganesh idols are immersed in larger numbers than Durga idols, the size of Durga statues is comparatively bigger and could have a different impact, which will be known after the final analysis. Sharma also pointed out that rainfall during the festival period may have diluted pollutants, minimising the effect on the lakes. While TDS levels increased slightly, no notable decline in dissolved oxygen or signs of toxicity affecting aquatic life were observed, he concluded.
However, the board’s methodology itself raises questions. It reportedly tested only six heavy metals, even though the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) mandates the testing of at least eleven, including sediment analysis.
Environmental expert Subhash C. Pandey has sharply questioned the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board’s (MPPCB) assessment of idol immersion, calling the agency’s findings scientifically implausible and misleading. According to him, claims that dissolved oxygen levels rose in Bhopal’s lakes after Ganesh Visarjan defy basic environmental science.
When idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) and chemical paints dissolve in water, they consume oxygen, not increase it, he explained.
At immersion points like Prempura and Khatalapura, idols take days to disintegrate, steadily releasing toxic metals that suffocate aquatic life. Pandey further pointed out that MPPCB tested for only six metals, while paints used in idol decoration may contain over 30 toxic elements, including carcinogens like mercury, arsenic, and chromium. Testing only six and calling it a complete report is misleading, he said.
His warning comes at a time when Bhopal’s lakes, once the pride of the capital, are already under severe stress. Categorised under B and C classes by the state pollution board, the Upper Lake, Lower Lake, Shahpura, and Hathaikheda reservoirs are no longer fit for direct consumption. The situation is especially grim for the Lower Lake and Shahpura Lake, which have turned into virtual sewage ponds. Even the Upper Lake, historically Bhopal’s lifeline, is slipping; while the state ranks it under B category, the Central Pollution Control Board places it in C category, dangerously close to D, where water becomes unfit for any human use without heavy treatment.
Amid this fragile ecological balance, the silence after Durga Visarjan has raised new questions. Weeks have passed since Navratri, yet the MPPCB has not released any report on its environmental impact despite Durga idols often being bigger, more elaborate, and painted with heavier chemical pigments than Ganesh idols. Earlier, the board confirmed the presence of zinc, chromium, copper, lead, cadmium, and cobalt after Ganesh Visarjan. But the absence of fresh data on Durga immersion leaves a troubling gap.
All the while, Bhopal’s lakes, the very identity of the lifeline of the capital, continue to absorb the weight of rituals, sewage, and urban neglect, with little clarity on how much damage has already been done beneath the surface.
On paper, the government claims success in implementing eco-friendly practices. The Bhopal Municipal Corporation claims compliance, for large idols, cranes and traffic arrangements were made. As per government orders, POP idols have been completely banned. Only eco-friendly clay idols were installed this year, said Prem Shankar Shukla, Public Relations Officer, Nagar Nigam. Yet, a ground survey conducted across the city tells a different story. POP idols of both Ganesh and Durga were found being sold, purchased, and immersed in multiple areas across Bhopal. Artisans admitted to using distempers, oil paints, and wall paints on clay idols, while decorative plastics were commonly used to make idols more appealing to buyers.
Ground visits to idol-making sites tell a revealing story. While artisans in some areas of Bhopal and nearby towns used clay to create idols, often calling in traditional craftsmen from Kolkata who proudly call their work eco-friendly. But the reality is more complicated. These clay idols are often coated with distemper, oil paints, and wall paints to make them more decorative and appealing. Plastic décor and shiny synthetic fabrics add the final touches, making even eco-friendly idols chemically loaded.
In smaller towns and rural areas around Bhopal, the scene is grimmer. Artisans admit to using moulds filled with Plaster of Paris, as it’s cheaper and easier to make. Humko matti ki murti banana nahi aawat hai, hum to saancha me daalkar nikal let hai. Ka kare? Mitti ki murti grahakon ko pasand bhi nahi hai, said one artisan near Huzur tehsil. His words reveal not just the economic compulsion of small idol-makers but also a cultural failure; people still prefer glossy POP idols over traditional clay ones.
Despite a statewide ban on POP idols, enforcement remains weak. Even after years of public awareness drives, neither enforcement nor education has reached the grassroots. The contradiction between official claims and the market reality exposes a deep gap in environmental governance.
Durga idols are larger and more elaborate than Ganesh idols, so their immersion can cause more severe damage to the water bodies. The immersion of these massive statues contributes significantly to sedimentation and heavy metal buildup in lakes, said an environmental analyst associated with the MPPCB.
When idols dissolve in lakes and rivers, the chemical paints used on both Plaster of Paris (POP) and clay statues release toxins that directly harm human health. Dr Manish Rathore, Dermatologist at Red Cross Hospital, Bhopal, warns that immediate reactions include eye irritation, burning, and contact dermatitis, while prolonged exposure to such contaminated water can lead to eczema and other chronic skin conditions. Once these chemicals mix with water, they enter the human body through the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, slowly damaging mucous membranes over time.
Environmental expert Subhash C. Pandey adds that the paints used in idol decoration often contain highly toxic elements like lead, mercury, and chromium. When these dissolve into lakes, ponds, or rivers during idol immersion, water pollution spikes dramatically. These chemicals are extremely harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms, he explains, disrupting reproduction, damaging organs, and altering the entire aquatic life cycle.
Pandey further warns that these heavy metals do not disappear after the festival ends; they settle into lakebeds and surrounding soil. This long-term deposition degrades soil quality and can harm agricultural land over the years. He stresses the urgent need to promote natural, earth-based, or herbal colours in idol-making to prevent irreversible damage to human health, aquatic life, and the environment.
Research published in the Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research found traces of E. coli and faecal coliform bacteria in Bhopal’s lakes, indicating contamination from untreated sewage. Combined with heavy metal exposure, this creates a serious public health hazard.
Heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium are known to affect neurological development, kidney function, and immune health. The Current World Environment Journal reported elevated levels of these metals in the Lower Lake, posing long-term risks for residents relying on lake water for domestic use.
Over the years, Ganesh Utsav and Navratri have transformed across Madhya Pradesh from intimate community rituals into large-scale public spectacles. Expansive jhankis, towering idols, and elaborate pandals now dominate streets and open grounds, turning religious devotion into a performance of visibility.
With this shift has come an aggressive rise in demand for decorative idols, particularly those made of Plaster of Paris. PoP idols remain cheaper, lighter, and easier to mold than traditional clay, which is why they continue to flood the markets each year despite a state-wide ban. Even many eco-friendly clay idols are painted with synthetic colours and decorated with plastic, thermocol, and metallic finishes, negating their environmental claims.
An environmental sociologist from Barkatullah University Dr. Imtiaz khan remarked, Urban religiosity is now shaped by visibility and spectacle. The size of the idol becomes a measure of faith, not spirituality.
He added, this culture of excess has economic roots too. Artisans and shopkeepers depend heavily on the festive season for income, which makes regulation difficult. Without viable economic alternatives or awareness drives, enforcement remains symbolic.
The Lakes, once a thriving ecosystem, are now a eutrophic water body, with recurring algal blooms, foul odour, and declining aesthetic value.
Multiple studies by the MPPCB, CPCB, and independent researchers have shown clear patterns of deterioration in Bhopal’s lakes following idol immersion:
● Decreased DO (Dissolved Oxygen): As organic materials from idols and offerings decompose, they consume oxygen, suffocating aquatic life.
● Increased BOD and COD: These parameters rise when the water contains more organic pollutants, indicating oxygen depletion.
● Increased Turbidity: Idol remains, flowers, plastic décor, and other residues make the water cloudy, blocking sunlight and disturbing aquatic photosynthesis.
● Heavy Metal Concentration spikes due to paints and ornaments made with lead, cadmium, and chromium.
The Upper Lake, a primary source of Bhopal’s drinking water, is also used for idol immersion. According to the MPPCB’s Lake Quality Assessment Report 2023, immersion activities drastically alter water chemistry. The result is alarming; the Biochemical Oxygen Demand has reached 12 mg/L, far exceeding the safe limit of 3 mg/L, according to the MPCB Lake Report 2022. Meanwhile, Dissolved Oxygen levels have dropped to 1.5 mg/L in peak summer conditions, considered hypoxic and deadly for fish. Research published in the Current World Environment Journal confirmed elevated concentrations of lead, chromium, and zinc in Bhopal's Lower Lake after the immersion season. Microplastics, too, have been found in its sediment, entering the food chain and posing long-term risks to both aquatic and human health.
Bhopal’s urban water infrastructure is already fragile. According to the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), the city loses nearly 28% of its water through leakages and outdated pipelines. Only 60% of sewage is treated, while the rest flows untreated into natural water channels. Simultaneously, the city’s green cover has fallen by 40% in the last 25 years (India State of Forest Report 2021).
The imbalance between land, water, and built environment is pushing the city’s wetlands into the C and D categories, a classification that marks them as severely degraded. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) points to inadequate solid waste management as another major culprit. Swachh Bharat Urban data confirms that the city lacks adequate Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) for segregation and recycling.
The city generates around 750 metric tonnes of waste daily, much of which is unsegregated and dumped in open areas. Reports from Down To Earth suggest that more than 30 tonnes of plastic waste per month enter the lake system.
Encroachment has further choked the natural drainage and flood absorption capacity of lakes. The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) warns that siltation and illegal constructions over 1,200 identified have drastically reduced the flood absorption capacity of Lower Lake, making Bhopal increasingly vulnerable to urban flooding. Following this, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued directives to halt encroachments and restore sensitive wetlands, but progress remains slow.
The ecological balance of Bhopal’s lakes is collapsing. The consequences of pollution are cascading. As eutrophication spreads, algal blooms choke oxygen from the water, killing fish and aquatic plants. The loss of biodiversity affects not just the ecological balance but also local livelihoods, especially fishing communities that depend on these lakes.
Microplastic contamination has been found in lake sediments and fish tissues, hinting that toxins could enter the human food chain. As water transparency declines, even migratory birds, once frequent visitors to the wetlands, have started disappearing. According to Wetlands International, native bird sightings have reduced by nearly 45% since 2010.
The deterioration also undermines the aesthetic and cultural identity of Bhopal. The Lakes, once a thriving ecosystem, are now a eutrophic water body, with recurring algal blooms, foul odour, and declining aesthetic value.
The condition of Bhopal’s lakes mirrors the conscience of its citizens. What was once the lifeline of the capital is now a slow-moving tragedy of faith and failure. While the government issues circulars and reports, the lakes continue to choke under the weight of devotion gone astray.
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