Pune: Mayor Murlidhar Mohol announced today that this year for the Ganeshotsav there won’t be any special arrangement of immersion tanks (artificial ponds created at different locations) and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will collect Nirmalya and dissolved idols residue from the pandals itself.
Mohol was addressing Ganesh mandals in the city through an online video conference. PMC Commissioner Vikram Kumar, Joint Police Commissioner Ravindra Shisve, PMC Standing Committee chairperson Hemant Rasane and other officials attended the meeting.
Mohol said, “If we give permission to immerse Ganesh idols at immersion tanks in presence of four to five persons, then our estimate is that around 20 lakh people will be on streets of the city. This is not advisable in view of the Covid-19 outbreak in the city.”
Mandals made some suggestions to Mohol, Commissioner Kumar and Joint CP Shisve. Mansingh Patole of Navgrah Mandal at Kasba Peth said, “There should be a ban on VIP movement for Ganesh Darshan during the 10-day festival. Every mandal should proactively take such decision.”
Ajay Paithankar of Jaydeep Mandal at Guruwar Peth demanded that the PMC should give a grant of Rs 1 lakh to each mandal as there is no advertising revenue this year. Prakash Barge of Koregaon Park based Jai Maharashtra Mitra Mandal also made a similar demand.
Swapnil Naik of Patit Pavan Sanghatana said, “PMC and police should form an inclusive committee and should reimburse the expense of 10ft x 10 ft pandals to those mandals who would propagate the public message about awareness on Covid-19.” Arun Gavali of Chatrapati Rajaram Mandal said, “MSEDCL should not force mandals to pay the deposit amount for power connection this year. Also they should return our deposit amounts of last year as that would ease the financial burden on the mandals.”
Rushikesh Balgude of Khadak Sarvajanik Mandal said, “PMC should make arrangement for immersion tanks in containment zones otherwise some citizens may step outside and go immersing idols in the canal or riverbed. Also, PMC should allow us to advertise at the pandals of which we can do 30 per cent advertisement related to Covid-19.
