Water pollution caused due to idol immersion.

        Water pollution is a major factor after air pollution which is causing lot deaths of people and adversely affecting the growth of sustainability. Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities, in such a manner that negatively affects its legitimate uses.  Water pollution reduces the ability of the body of water to provide the ecosystem services that it would otherwise provide. Water bodies include for example lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Water pollution results when contaminants are introduced into these water bodies. Water pollution can usually be attributed to one of four sources: sewage, industry, agriculture, and urban runoff including stormwater. For example, releasing inadequately treated wastewater into natural waters can lead to degradation of these aquatic ecosystems. Water pollution can also lead to water-borne diseases for people using polluted water for drinking, bathing, washing or irrigation. Supplying clean drinking water is an important ecosystem service provided by some freshwater systems, but approximately 785 million people in the world do not have access to clean drinking water because of pollution. Water bodies have to be protected in order to sustain the environment for the future generation as there isn’t any technology as of now that can be an alternative for water. 

(Post from "NRDC" https://www.nrdc.org/stories/water-pollution-everything-you-need-know)

It is harmful for the aquatic life present in the lakes, as all the harmful pollutants and chemicals present in the idols will be ingested by the fishes and other creatures which can result in the depletion of biodiversity. When these fishes are consumed by humans they can lead to severe illness and sometimes it acts a slow poison. Due to the increase in the number of impurities and harmful substances in the water body leads to the growth of fungi and other weeds on the surface of the water body and these plants absorb all the oxygen and they do not let the oxygen dissolve in water which results in the death of the fauna and flora in that region.  In India during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, thousands of idols are submerged in different water bodies throughout the country. This has led to widespread protests regarding the safety and protection of these water reservoirs. 

(Post from "DownToEarth" https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/ganesh-chaturthi-toxic-immersion-42251)

Among all these protests, a company decided to sell clay idols instead of the idols which are made up of plaster of Paris. Clay is a material which is bio-degradable in nature which dissolves in water and does not contaminate it unlike its harmful plaster of Paris counterparts. IndiaMART is trying to sell clay idols on a subsidized price which is affordable and much cheaper than the other idols. The company connects the seller to the buyer and ensures authenticity of the product. They manufacture clay idols and have sold thousands of them which has contributed to the increased use of clay idols. Ergo, this company is contributing a lot towards the betterment of the society and helping in build a sustainable environment. Countries need more companies like these for the welfare of the society.