Bhiwandi: 5,141 Ganesh Idols Immersed Amid Festive Fervour; 267 In Artificial Ponds

Bhiwandi witnessed a grand immersion of Gauri-Ganpati idols on Saturday, with a total of 5,141 idols released into the city's immersion points. Of these, 267 idols were placed in artificial ponds set up by the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) in an effort to promote environmentally friendly practices during the festival.

Immersion processions commenced after 5 PM, as devotees carried the idols to designated points, accompanied by the sounds of dhol-tasha and festivities. The immersion continued until late into the night.

Civic officials reported that 4,874 idols were immersed at the city's 12 traditional immersion ghats, while the remaining 267 were released into the artificial ponds. The BNCMC had urged devotees to use the artificial ponds to help prevent pollution in rivers and other natural water bodies caused by idol immersion. Their call for such action was evident in the high number of idols immersed in the specially designated ponds.

The civic administration took several measures to ensure a smooth and secure immersion process, including installing additional barricades at major immersion points such as Kamwari River, Varala Lake, Bhadwad, Chavindra, Pogaon, and Narpoli. Around 80 lifeguards were also deployed at various locations to provide additional safety.

Meanwhile, voluntary organizations at locations like Kamatghar, Varala Lake, and Bhadwad ghats took responsibility for collecting nirmalya floral offerings and other religious materials, preventing them from being discarded in the water.

The BNCMC's sanitation and health departments were present at the immersion sites to maintain cleanliness throughout the process, with workers collecting waste and ensuring the ghats remained clean before and after the immersion activities. Police forces maintained a strong security presence along the immersion routes and at the designated ghats to regulate devotee movement and maintain law and order.

This collaborative effort between the civic administration, police, lifeguards, and volunteers allowed for the successful execution of the immersion process while maintaining a balance between religious celebrations and environmental protection efforts.