The BMC has decided to not insist on strict regulations to ensure eco-friendly Ganpati Festival.
Shortly after Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray rejected the idea of curtailing the height of Ganpati idols, and even ridiculed mayor Shubha Raul, the BMC has decided to not insist on strict regulations to ensure eco-friendly Ganpati Festival.
The festival, that starts from September 3, saw as many as 10,455 sarvajanik Ganpatis and 1,51,543 individual immersions last year. The corporation expects these figures to rise this year.
This year too, the BMC has not levied any regulation to make the festival eco-friendly, except asking idol makers to use clay. “We have requested idol makers to make Ganpatis from clay instead of Plaster of Paris,” additional municipal commissioner, M Sangle said. Though the prize money for the best Ganpati and decoration has been raised to Rs1,00,000, standards encouraging use of eco-friendly material do not exist.
The only new regulation levied is if the height of a mandal is over 25 ft, the organisers will have to obtain a structural stability certificate from the respective ward. “A junior engineer will be appointed in each ward to expedite the process of granting permission,” said Sangle.
BMC will repair all potholes between August 15 and 31. Over 40 artificial ponds are planned in the wards, some with even two or more. The corporation plans to install over 100 urns for collection of Nirmalayas. Life savers and boats will be put across the beaches. At Powai, their numbers would be increased from two to four.
HC on immersion ban: In a PIL seeking a ban of immersion of religious idols for conservation of water bodies, the Bombay High Court said, “This court will not be in a position to decide what a religion permits and what it doesn’t.”
Justices Bilal Nazki and AP Deshpande said, “Public sentiments and public interest sometimes do not go hand-in-hand.” The court directed the state to construct “adequate number of ladies’ and gents’ toilets” on the beach stretch between Santa Cruz and Khar Danda.
“We expect the government to constitute a committee and devise a methodology by which the public shall be made aware about the need to protect water bodies and environment,” the judgement stated. The court said the state and the Centre were expected to take expeditious steps.
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