Ganesh Chaturthi 2018- After Four Years, MBMC Wakes Up To Artificial Ponds For Idol Immersion

Here’s some encouraging news for nature lovers and environmentalists.

After mysteriously scrapping the project of creating eco-friendly ponds for four consecutive years, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has finally woken up to the need of checking the unabated pollution of water bodies in the twin-city while immersing idols during the Ganesh festival.

MBMC chief Balaji Khatgaonkar has directed officials in the Public Works Department to create at least one artificial pond at the immersion point at Shivaar Lake in Mira Road. It should be noted that former civic chief Vikram Kumar had introduced the concept of eco-friendly immersions in 2012.

Despite a slow start, the trend had started gaining acceptance after the initiative was continued in a much more elaborate manner by his successor-Suresh Kakani who created five artificial ponds that recorded 642 immersions in 2013.

However, since then the civic administration has shunned the idea of creating artificial ponds. This despite of growing awareness and an encouraging response from devotees towards the eco-friendly initiatives. With 2,100 immersions recorded on the final day, the total number of Lord Ganesh idols which graced the twin-city stood at 19,751 last year. In 2016, a total of 18,717 immersions were recorded at the 22 immersion points.

Interestingly, the idea of “Jal Abhishek” — a unique environment-friendly technology which involves mixing of ammonium bicarbonate (baking powder) with water to dissolve idols made of Plaster of Paris, has been dropped this year.