THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS WERE GENERATED FROM OUR FIJI SUN FACEBOOK PAGE IN RESPONSE TO THE ARTICLE ABOVE:

Janki Reddy

These are works of people who do not understand the simple things. You do not throw anything in Maa Ganga (Additional information: Ganga referring to the Ganges River in India which is personified as Maa Ganga, the river goddess. She is known in the Hindu faith as the Godess of forgiveness and purification). You pray to her. Flowers and other offerings should be left in a garden.

If you need to put a statue in the ocean, you need to take it further in the deeper area and sink it. This shows how much respect you have for your own mother. Maa Ganga is no different. Come to my temple I will teach you how things can be done differently without polluting Maa Ganga. RESPECT.

Roshni Kumar

It’s really sad I don’t understand this after pooja all the offering flowers,rice, coconut etc is dumped in rivers and sea... river and sea is home to thousands of species.

We clean our homes before the pooja but how come its okay to dump in the waters and pollute the environment after pooja.

The priest should be better teachers and I am sure there is another way rather than dumping in water. Why can’t just pray with diya and the mantras.

I am sure God does not need all offerings of its own creations. I understand all these rituals are performed for better wellbeing and prosperity but how can this be gained by harming someone else living space. We forget that like earth water is also someone else’s home and we have no right to harm or pollute.

Because this is how its has been done for centuries does not mean that we can keep doing it and keep destroying this beautiful planet earth. It’s time to change generational thinking and behavior for future generations.

Nitya Nand

Please let’s not say Hindus or religion - the ocean is a secret place.

The responsible authority should take action immediately ie:

Prathinidhi Sabha of

Fiji, Brahman Prohibit

Sabha of Fiji all priests Pandit should clean-up.

Let’s all be responsible of our act.

Ravnish Prakash

Take responsibility of ur rubbish and don’t pollute mother nature please

Jailesh Kumar

People caught polluting should be fined or sent to prison

Ashwin Deo

Absolutely pathetic some people. This is not Hinduism and it only tells you to scatter ash in the ocean not other materials. They can be buried instead accordingly or turned into compost. Plastic stuff to be recycled

Sayad Naushad H Pasha

I don’t understand. Dumping ones gods like that.

Peji Khan

It’s not what you see... it’s how you see it. This is petty in comparison to bigger polluters like some mills around the country. Nothing in terms of pollution... religious tolerance in a multinational, multi racial and multi cultural society must be paramount

(RE: Peji Khan) Viliame Finau

We see this as a scourge of irresponsible people, that is littering.

(RE: Peji Khan) Makereta Lothbrook It’s still pollution. The irony in your comment shows your ignorance. Shocking.

(RE: Peji Khan) Vivienne Eesha

Only biodegradable things used in prayers is supposed be immersed in water (like flowers, leaves, grains and fruits) NOTHING apart from the above. NO plastics. NO bottles. NO Clothes or cartons.

Hindus need to revisit the vedic significance of water!!

(RE: Peji Khan) Tex Koroi

What happened to “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”. Should be applicable everywhere not just your personal property.

(RE: Peji Khan) Amit Yashwardhan And here i am using bamboo straw to save the turtles

Talaite Matai Bului

To which entity does the beach belong to? The nearest Town Council? Government?

Does it have a system in place where a group that wants to use the beach area for an event can reserve that space for such purposes, by contacting the proper entity, reserve the area, pay a fee/ deposit which they will get back at the end of the event?

Responsible use of public space or park may be found in how serious public space users are about usage.

If the result from the event is a littered beach, then the group that reserved should pay a fine for littering, and their deposit withheld by the Division responsible for parks etc. At least, there is a record and contacts for users, to refer to.

Can parks and beaches be designated as Town Council or Government Properties for the Public to know with whom they should reserve the space?