Date:09/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/09/stories/2006090925790300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

19,975 idols immersed in Hussainsagar

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: As many as 19,975 idols of varying sizes were immersed in the Hussainsagar as per a data compiled by the APPCB. Volunteers of the PCB, National Green Cadets and other departments recorded the data.

PCB Senior Scientist K.V. Rao said that of the 19,975 idols immersed, 10,000 were below 1-metre height and 200 idols were more than 5 metres tall and the rest were in the range of 2 metres to 5 metres. Of the total idols, 5,300, amounting to 27 per cent, were painted in natural colours and vegetable dyes and the rest were coloured with chemical and metallic paints.

The PCB would soon release water sample details collected days before and immediately after the immersion for the presence of heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium.