Following the rituals of Ganesh Chaturthi ending with immersion, the city police is gearing up for Tuesday’s immersion.
A meeting was organized with officials of various departments in attendance for discussing the arrangements and work required for the festival to go through smoothly without any mishap.
The discussion included measures to be employed for carrying out the Ganesh immersion in different water bodies of Hyderabad. Participants of the meeting were officials belonging to the power, irrigation, GHMC, HMWS&SB, fire services, health, road and buildings, disaster management, and revenue departments along with City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar, Additional CP (L&O) DS Chauhan, Additional CP (Traffic) Anil Kumar, and others.
Immersion of the Ganesh idols is scheduled on September 1st as the chief committee overlooking the work of the festival, Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Committee, had called for the cancellation of a centralized procession that used to take place every year.
The decision was taken in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of the several feet tall Ganesh idol of Khairtabad, the famous idol was now going to be made of just 1 foot. Last year, it was built with a height of 61 feet and this year it would be taller if the 66-year tradition wasn’t put to rest due to the pandemic and the damages it can bring along.
The Committee had also requested people, colony authorities, building management, to ensure that the Ganesh idol is made small.
This year, more people switched to a smaller and more eco-friendly version to save nature and not harm the water bodies in which these would be immersed after the days of Lord Ganesh’s stay at his devotees’ homes.
However, some people have still put up bigger than the allowed cap of 4 feet tall idols.
The immersion will now be held separately, as opposed to the centralized one, with people doing so at various points in the city, pre-determined by the police.
There will be heavy force of cops employed at all locations to maintain social distancing and let the festival get completed peacefully, avoiding any carelessness.
According to the modified guidelines made especially for the immersion, devotees are encouraged to carry out the same at pre-selected water bodies, made isolated artificially and lined with impermeable clay on its banks.
It mentioned, “A temporary artificial tank or pond with eco-synthetic liners (HDPE), and earthen bunds on the bank shall be made fit for idol immersion.”
An activist of Hyderabad, LubnaSarwat said, “Immersion of idols made of POP and toxic colors will pollute the water bodies. This year, due to Covid, the number of idols in lakes has come down, but the practice has not stopped.”
