Thane: With celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi starting on September 10, Thane city to see 1,42, 078 Ganesh idols across the Thane Commissionerate. The police and municipal authorities have restricted gathering at pandals and visarjan spots across the city and mandals as chances for a third wave cannot be neglected. The authorities have also warned devotees about legal action if anyone found violating the covid-19 norms.
If the figure provided by Thane police is to be believed, this year around 1, 41,020 household Ganesh idols and 1,058 public mandals Ganesh idols are registered. The Thane Commissionerate has five zones, where there are 38,373 Ganesh idols for visarjan on the second day, Around 49,782 will be immersed on the fifth day. Similarly, 13,318 will be immersed on the seventh day, 34,564 on the tenth day and 86 Ganesh idols will b immersed on 21st day.
"In Thane city- Zone-1 around 136 public pandals and 19, 665 household ganesh idols. In Zone 2-Bhiwandi there are around 159 public pandals and 10, 662 household ganesh idols. In Zone 3, Kalyan-Dombivli around 279 public pandals and 40, 730 household idols. In Zone-4, Ulhasnagar around 282 public pandals and 46, 581 household idols and in Zone-5 Wagle-estate around 202 public pandals and 23,382 household ganesh idols.
Vinay Kumar Rathod, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 5 said, "Firstly the height of the Ganesh idols at public mandals is restricted to four feets. Our officers have held meetings with the public mandals and restricted any public gathering during the festival. No outsider will be allowed to queue up or allowed for darshan. The aarti and other rituals will be carried out only by the members of the mandals. Our team is also visiting the societies to inform people holding household idols to not gather in crowds and violate the covid-19 restriction. Also, we request the household as well as public pandals to not gather crowds at the visarjan site. They should perform the last aarti or puja at their house or pandal rather than gather a crowd at Visarjan site," added Rathod.
However, Rajesh Narvekar, Collector, Thane district had appealed to citizens to follow the restriction imposed by the government. "Devotees should not bring out any procession during visarjan or bring the lord. Children and senior citizens should avoid going to Visarjan spots. Citizens should follow the rules and restrictions and celebrate the festival. The threat of the virus is still around and we should follow social distancing and mask during the celebration," added Narvekar.
