Many residents have expressed disappointment with the arrangements made by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for idol immersion. People alleged that the designated immersion tanks are not maintained properly, and they are filled with garbage and used bottles.
Due to the poor condition of these facilities, many devotees claimed they were left with no option but to release puja materials directly into the river, as no properly designated spots were marked or maintained by the civic body.
Sanyukta Raut, a resident of warje said, "Unlike Ganpati festival we don't need emerson tanks as the the durga idols are emersed in bigger tankers and also people don't bring the idols home, it's with the pandals and they have arrangements but the problem lies with disposing off remains of the puja, like the coconut and the garlands, the PMC should have proper designated places for the disposals. People are dumping the puja waste directly into the rivers and water bodies. We urge PMC to take immediate corrective steps to ensure that such lapses do not occur again
especially during major festivals when environmental protection and cleanliness are critical."
Shrikant Mishra resident of Raviwar peth, speaking to FPJ, said, “People are forced to put holly materials in the river as the PMC has not made any proper arrangement. The tanker, which was made during the Ganesh Mandal, has been filled with plastic bottles, alcohol bottles, bags and other waste material. The solid waste management department should maintain the cleanliness. But the administration fails here not only on the festive days but on the normal days as well.”
Neeta Pawar, another resident, highlighted that the garbage dumping problem is the main issue in the Kasba constituency. Devotees' emotions are attached to the holy materials. After the 9-day celebration, why would people throw it at such a place where the garbage has been dumped and in an uncleaned area? The civic body needs to concentrate on the issue.
Deputy Commissioner of the Solid Waste Management Department, Sandeep Kadam, visited the site a few days ago to inspect the arrangements and issued necessary instructions regarding proper management.
"To further ensure proper disposal, we installed offering pots at major bridges to provide a convenient option for disposing of flowers and other puja items, and enough awareness was also raised to reduce pollution in the water bodies," Kadam said.
