Mumbai: ‘Provide artificial tanks at Aarey for visarjan’

People enjoy a boat ride in a lake at Aarey in 2020. Pic/Satej Shinde

With the Ganpati festival a few weeks away, NGO Vanashakti has written to the state environment department and other agencies, requesting them not to allow the immersion of idols in the water bodies in Aarey Milk Colony, as it falls in the Eco-Sensitive Zone of SGNP. To cater to rituals, the NGO has requested the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to create or provide artificial tanks on the outskirts of Aarey and allow people to use them.

The letter has been written by the Director of Vanashakti, Stalin D, to the principal secretary. environment department; Maharashtra Pollution Control Board; collector, Mumbai Suburban; Mumbai police commissioner, Aarey CEO office and the civic chief.

In the letter, he has requested authorities to intervene in implementing the Eco-Sensitive Zone Guidelines written in the Gazette notification for Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

The letter states that the area of concern is Aarey Milk Colony as it falls inside the Eco-Sensitive Zone and all activities here are either regulated or prohibited. The NGO has expressed concern about the pollution which is caused every year in the lakes/ponds/water bodies inside the ESZ.

"The Chhota Kashmir lake, picnic point lake, the small pond behind the picnic point garden are all perennial natural water bodies situated inside the ESZ. During Ganeshotsav it is seen that hundreds of idols are brought from all over the city and immersed inside these water bodies. The lakes are getting silted, polluted by POP and paints used in the idols. This is detrimental to the marine life in the water bodies. Disposal of polluting material inside water bodies situated inside ESZ is prohibited under the law. Furthermore, the noise pollution generated due to DJs and loudspeakers during the processions and festivities is also detrimental to the fauna in the forests. Please note that use of polluting materials for industrial purposes is also prohibited under the notification," wrote Stalin in his letter.
The environmentalist has requested that in order to cater to rituals, the BMC may create or provide artificial tanks on the outskirts of Aarey.

"We call upon you to take steps in advance and inform the population about the measures that will be taken to allow the festival to be conducted smoothly without any disturbance or pollution. We have issued this communication well in advance to all the concerned departments of the state government to give them sufficient time to take corrective and preventive action in the interests of conservation," Stalin added.