Immersion of Ganesh idols in Sabarmati river was banned due to environmental concerns
As the state bid farewell to Lord Ganesha on the last day of the 10-day long festival, makeshift ponds were constructed in all seven zones in Ahmedabad to localise immersion and snarls of vehicular traffic along the riverfront.
The Sabarmati river, once the traditional spot for immersion, was declared out of bounds for the religious activities a few years ago, due to anti-pollution regulations.
Since then, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has been setting up make-shift ponds along the riverfront for the ritual.
AS PER PLAN
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- Immersion of Ganesh idols in Sabarmati river was banned due to environmental concerns
- Delay in construction of ponds forced people to abandon idols on the banks in the first few days
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Such ponds were also found in Vadodara, while in Surat, Bappa was taken to the Hazira coast to bid good-bye. In Vadodara city, the Navlakhi Ground was converted into a make-shift pond for immersion of large idols. In Surat, heavy rains delayed processions on Thursday.
Unlike the early immersion days, when — owing to a delay in construction of the special ponds — some idols were left by the river bank and there were isolated cases of immersion in the river, the last day saw no such cases.
Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra said that since then, there has not been a single case of immersion in the river — all rituals have been in zonal or riverfront ponds even for idols as tall as 22 feet.
"There has been a change in the citizens," said Nehra. "First we saw it during Dashama celebrations, then at Taziya and now during Ganesh visarjan. People have cooperated and not immersed idols in the Sabarmati." Many families chose to carry out the final ritual locally, in their own tanks or large drums.
Mayor Bijal Patel also said that more people have been moving away from plaster of Paris and towards eco-friendly alternatives. "Close to 80 per cent of all idols were eco-friendly," said Patel.
While nearly 4,000 idols were immersed till Wednesday, AMC estimates the number to cross 50,000 till Friday morning.
However, there were some disappointments with the arrangments. Mukesh Pashi, a resident of Girivrund Society in Saijpur Bogha, complained of difficulty in carrying the idols to the ponds since vehicular access was restricted till Indira Bridge. "This was very risky as there is a slippery gradient. They should have allowed vehicular access up to the cranes," he said. "We have been hosting the lord for about 30 years, but have faced this problem only in the past two years."
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