Several devotees are bidding goodbye to their beloved bappa on the fifth day of the Ganeshotsav on Sunday. The visarjan processions began in the afternoon itself across the city.
Mass Immersion Drive
As of 6 pm, a total of 4260 idols were immersed, of which 4196 were household Ganpatis, 52 were from sarvajanik mandals and 12 were hartalika idols. No untoward incident reported during immersions.
Celebrations Continue Till Midnight
The immersions will continue till midnight. As several sarvajanik mandals celebrate Ganeshotsav for five days, the music, dhol tasha and immersion processions are heard across the city roads.
Eco-Friendly Push with Artificial Ponds
This year, the authorities have urged the devotees to immerse the idols into artificial ponds set up by the civic bodies. For Mumbai, more than 280 artificial ponds are installed.
Relief for Smaller Idols
However, considering the long queues and overburden on the artificial ponds during the second day of the festival, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has permitted to immerse smaller idols too in the natural water bodies (sea, river, lakes), said Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganpati Samanvay Samiti.The MPCB confirmed the development. Spokesperson of MPCB, Sanjay Bhuskute said, "Immersion of smaller idols has been allowed in the natural water bodies. The decision was taken in a joint meeting with the BMC."
Notably, the Bombay High court had mandated immersion of all idols below the height of six feet in artificial ponds. The immersion of taller idols was allowed natural water bodies.
