03 July,2011 06:57 AM IST | | Urvashi Seth
Ganesh mandal representatives meet members of the Traffic Police department and ask for better security arrangements this Ganeshotsav
Ten months after Siddesh Kanade, 19, a member of Tardeo's Tulsiwadi Ganesh Mandal was electrocuted in a mobile toilet set up by the BMC at Giragaum Chowpatty, Ganesh mandals across the city have demanded better security of devotees at immersion spots this Ganeshotsav.
Representatives of Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (GSS) met members of the Mumbai Traffic Police Department on Friday to discuss various demands for this year's festivities. Safety of devotees, who gather at the beaches in large numbers during the immersion, was their primary demand.
"We don't want devotees to lose their lives like Kanade. We have demanded safety precautions and have appealed to the department (Traffic) to ensure that contracts are given to reliable persons who will not leave naked wires around," said Naresh Dahibawkar, GSS secretary.
Kanade went to Girgaum Chowpatty last September to participate in the immersion. He was electrocuted inside a mobile toilet set up by the BMC at Chowpatty and lay inside unattended for 45 minutes.
"We don't want any mishaps this year. We have already brought this to their notice and will speak to other authorities about the same in our next meeting," Dahibawkar added.
GSS has also asked the Traffic department for permission to immerse idols at Bandra Reclamation. "The department has agreed to our demands and has decided to study the feasibility. It is getting increasingly impossible to manage crowds at immersion spots in Dadar and Mahim," he said.
