Ahead of immersion of one and a half day Ganpati, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has created 134 artificial ponds. The civic chief Abhijit Bangar inspected a few of the sites to check the arrangement.
Bangar has directed municipal officials and employees to take care of the devotees by making a physical inspection of the natural and artificial immersion sites.
In addition, there are 22 natural ponds where devotees can immerse idols.
Every year, the civic body creates artificial ponds in every node for the convenience of citizens and to control the rush at the natural ponds. Even the artificial ponds are used to immerse idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP).
As large gatherings increase the chances of the spread of COVID-19, the civic body has created a large number of artificial ponds.
In 2020, a total of 135 artificial ponds were created while in 2021, a total of 155 artificial ponds were created and they received a good response.
Meanwhile, the civic body had made an appeal to celebrate an eco-friendly Ganeshotsav and in that regard, it has been requested to install the eco-friendly Ganesha idols of Shadu and also to immerse the idols in artificial lakes to prevent pollution of natural reservoirs.
For this, a large number of 134 artificial immersion ponds have been constructed in eight divisional office areas from Belapur to Digha and some of them were inspected by the commissioner.
Bangar also directed to ensure that the wet nirmalya like garlands, flowers and dry nirmalya like kanthi, crowns, artificial garlands, decorative materials are put in separate nirmalya kalash kept at the immersion site. He gave clear instructions to take strict vigilance that Nirmalya is not dumped into the reservoir under any circumstances.
While informing the both zone DMC and assistant commissioners that there should be no overcrowding at the immersion sites and directed to coordinate with the police. In addition, the civic body has made adequate electrical arrangements.
The Commissioner also directed to pay special attention to ensure that the CCTV system will continue to operate regularly at the natural discharge site.
Volunteers have been appointed at all the immersion sites and along with them security guards, firemen, health systems have also been directed to work carefully under the control of the concerned department officers by maintaining mutual coordination.
