Ganeshotsav 2024: Thane civic body introduces mobile vehicle units for Ganesh idol immersion

File Photo. Pic/PTI

In a bid to enhance convenience and reduce crowding during Ganeshotsav 2024 festivities, the Thane Municipal Corporation has decided to introduce mobile vehicles fitted with water tanks for facilitating the immersion of Lord Ganesh's idols, reported news agency PTI.

This initiative by TMC commissioner Saurabh Rao aims to provide a more accessible and streamlined immersion experience for residents, as per an official statement, reported PTI.

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The new mobile vehicle units will travel to various localities, allowing citizens to immerse the idols after performing religious rituals, eliminating the need to visit crowded immersion spots during Ganeshotsav 2024, reported PTI.

The ten-day Ganeshotsav 2024 festival, which commences on September 7, sees the consecration of idols in homes and public places across Maharashtra.

Six vehicles will be operated on the key immersion days: September 8, 12, and 14. Each mobile unit is fitted with a water tank where devotees can perform the immersion before the idol's remnants are transferred to designated artificial lakes and other immersion sites, as per the release.

In addition to the mobile units, the TMC has set up nine ghats (steps that lead down to a riverbank), 15 artificial ponds, ten idol acceptance centres, and 49 tank immersion systems across the city to accommodate idols.

Rao told PTI Monday that the mobile immersion facility will decentralise the immersion process, minimise congestion, and offer added convenience to devotees.

Ensure Ganpati mandals follow norms banning plaster-of-Paris idols: Bombay HC to govt

Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government to inform all 'sarvajanik Ganesh mandals' to mandatorily follow guidelines imposing ban on use of plaster of Paris (PoP) for making idols that will be immersed in water, reported PTI.

A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar said all mandals have to follow guidelines issued in May 2020 by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) imposing a ban on PoP idols, reported PTI.

In cases where the permissions to erect mandals have already been granted, an additional condition shall be "immediately" added that they shall not install idols made of PoP, the HC further directed, reported PTI.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Thane-based Rohit Joshi and others, including nine clay-based and small-scale craftsmen of idols, seeking strict implementation of the 2020 CPCB guidelines.

The bench noted the concerned stakeholders were not implementing the guidelines in letter and spirit and said it would be compelled to pass an order banning sale and use of PoP idols, reported PTI.

"You may have heard of the saying 'extraordinary situations call for extraordinary order'. These guidelines have been in place since 2020. What can be a more urgent and exigent situation than a degrading environment?" CJ Upadhyaya said, reported PTI.

The bench directed the commissioners of municipal corporations in the state to convene a meeting with the senior most officer of the police department for incorporating additional conditions on sarvajanik mandals in view of revised guidelines of the CPCB, reported PTI.

State Advocate General Birendra Saraf informed the bench that a circular has been issued by the environment department to all the district magistrates, CEOs of zilla parishads and chief officers of municipal councils in which these bodies have been directed to "scrupulously implement revised guidelines for idol immersion", reported PTI.

The court also impressed upon the state to take a policy decision on implementing the guidelines. "Take some policy decision. Something needs to be done which will act as a deterrent," the bench said.

(With inputs from PTI)