Mumbai, Sep 24 The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has geared up for the immersion of Ganpati idols on Friday on Anant Chaturdashi, the last day of the heavily-patronised festival, with 67 natural immersion sites and 383 artificial lakes at 278 locations across the city, officials said.
In a release issued on Thursday, the civic body said more than 25,000 civic officials and employees will be deployed to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the immersion process.
The BMC has deployed 1,132 lifeguards and made arrangements for 6,052 floodlights and searchlights at immersion sites, while 85 ambulances and 10 motorboats have been kept ready at various immersion sites, it said.
For crowd management and coordination, 261 reception centres, 228 control rooms and 75 observation towers have been set up. A total of 489 temporary toilets and other basic facilities have been provided for devotees, the release said.
To ensure vehicles don’t get stuck in the beach sand, 1,194 steel plates have been placed at ‘chowpatties’, while 23 German rafts and 34 cranes have been kept at various immersion sites, the BMC said.
The civic body said it has provided 498 ‘nirmalya kalash’ and 326 ‘nirmalya’ dumpers for collection and disposal of floral offerings.
Citing Bombay High Court directions, the BMC said Ganpati idols up to six feet in height are required to be immersed in artificial lakes.
The BMC said it has made arrangements for such immersions and appealed to citizens to use the designated artificial lakes.
It also urged citizens to exercise caution while entering the sea for immersion and follow the instructions of civic and police authorities, particularly in view of the presence of blue-button jellyfish and stingrays along the coastline.
“Preparations have been completed along the immersion routes, with 4,279 potholes on 506 roads and 171 drainage covers repaired. Obstructing cables have been removed at 281 locations and tree pruning has been carried out at 515 locations,” it said.
At ‘Swarajyabhoomi’ (Girgaon Chowpatty), one of the city’s major immersion locations, the BMC has prepared 12 artificial lakes, and set up 20 observation towers, 22 rafts, 90 toilets along with deployment of around 2,000 personnel.
The civic body has also arranged a primary health centre, three ambulances, 548 floodlights and 11 searchlights at Girgaon Chowpatty, besides a coordination room, parking facilities and a ‘shamiana’.
An Emergency Management Control Room will also be operational at Girgaon Chowpatty on Anant Chaturdashi to facilitate immediate coordination among various agencies in case of an emergency, it said.
“Personnel from BMC Disaster Management Department, BEST, Mumbai police, Mumbai Fire Brigade, health department and National Disaster Response Force, along with ham radio operators from Aniruddha Academy of Disaster Management, will be present at the control room,” it said.
“The civic disaster management department has trained at least eight to 10 volunteers from each public Ganesh mandal as first responders. A total of 725 volunteers have been trained this year in emergency management, first aid and CPR, among other aspects,” the release said.
As part of environmental measures, the BMC had distributed more than 940 metric tonnes of ‘shadu’ clay free of cost to idol makers and provided 25,400 litres of eco-friendly colours.
The civic body is also implementing the ‘One Ganapati, One Tree’ initiative under which it plans to plant as many trees as the number of Ganapti idols immersed within its jurisdiction.
So far this year, 1,63,386 Ganapati idols have been immersed during the 1.5-day, five-day, six-day and seven-day periods of the 12-day long festival, according to the BMC.
On Wednesday, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde had said BMC will strictly follow the High Court’s directives about DJs, laser, and bursting crackers.
Festivals can be celebrated without causing noise and air pollution, the Bombay High Court had said on Tuesday, while ordering a complete ban on the bursting of firecrackers on public roads.
Tawde said BMC has made free facilities at 387 artificial lakes and other natural water bodies in the metropolis, and urged citizens not to pay money to anyone for the immersion of idols at these places.
(PTI News)
