Mumbai News: BMC To Install 70 Marine Buoys With Solar Lanterns At 43 Idol Immersion Sites Ahead Of Ganesh And Navratri Festivals

Mumbai: The BMC will install 70 marine navigation buoys with solar lanterns at 43 immersion sites across Mumbai marking the low tides for idols immersion during Ganpati and Navratri festival.

The decision comes after recent Bombay High court order to comply with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines mandating idol immersion between high tide and low tide to curb the water pollution.

"As per HC directions, immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols is not allowed in the sea. While, clay idols should be immersed between the high and low tide, which allows easy retrievals in case the clay idol is not completed immersed/dissolved. Thus, to allow the devotees to identify low and high tides boundaries, it was decided to install marine buoys with solar lanterns which will serve as markings," said a BMC officer.

The installation and commissioning of the 70 marine buoys will cost around Rs 2 crore and the contract will be given for a year, including three festivals- Ganesh festival, Navrati festival and Maghi Ganesh Festival, when the idol immersion is a common practice.

"Five contractors have shown interest and we will evaluate and finalise one. The installation of the marine buoys is planned to be done before Ganesh Chaturthi," the officer added.

The 43 visarjan sites identified by the BMC includes the most famous sites like Girgaon Chowpatty (8 buoys), Juhu Chowpatty to Versova (15 buoys), Marve Beach (2), Aksa Beach (2) and Gorai jetty (2). Other locations includes, Dadar Chowpatty to Mahim Reti Bunder (6), Gateway of India (2), Bandra Bandstand (2), Chimbai beach (2) Trombay jetty (2), Vashi jetty (2) and others.

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Notably, the visarjan of PoP idols is allowed only in artificial ponds installed by the BMC. The 10-day Ganesh festival this year begins at August 27.