Vinayagar Chaturthi 2026: Idol Immersion Banned at Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai Beaches

The Southern Zone National Green Tribunal has ordered a ban on the immersion of Vinayagar idols at Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai beaches in Chennai.

The tribunal stated that Vinayagar idols cannot be immersed at the Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai coastal areas. It has also directed the Tamil Nadu government to explain whether the idols can be diverted to other locations.

The case, filed in 2023 by Hariharan from Pudhupettai, Chennai, seeking action to prevent the immersion of Vinayagar idols in unauthorised water bodies, came up for hearing today.

The Tamil Nadu government informed the tribunal that Kasimedu, Tiruvottiyur, Ennore, Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai had been identified as locations for idol immersion.

The petitioner’s side argued that idol immersion should not be permitted at Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai beaches as turtles breed in these areas and the locations fall under Coastal Regulation Zone areas.

The National Green Tribunal questioned why idols arriving at environmentally sensitive areas such as Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai could not be diverted to other locations.

The Tamil Nadu government responded that issues such as law and order, crowd congestion and the possibility of religious tensions would need to be considered while shifting the idols to other areas.

The tribunal also stressed the need to create public awareness about the environmental importance of Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai. It directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide an explanation regarding the possibility of diverting Vinayagar idols arriving at these locations to other areas.