NMMC ropes in cops for safety of devotees at immersion sites

NAVI MUMBAI: With the 10-day Ganpati festival commencing on Thursday, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has decided to give top priority to safety and cleanliness at all the 23 immersion sites in the city.
NMMC has decided to coordinate with the city police in this regard.
“Apart from the senior civic officers inspecting all the ponds and lakes, there will be 700 volunteers on duty at all the 23 immersion sites, designated for the Ganpati festival, to ensure that there are no untoward incidents.There will also be an adequate number of lifeguards and medical staffers at the immersion sites,’’ said a civic official. All the arrangements have been made under the guidance of civic chief Ramaswami N, the official added.
A total of 208 ‘sarvajanik’ (public) Ganpati mandals have applied for the civic permissions through the civic body’s online procedure system in the past two months in order to ensure that there are no hurdles that inconvenience the public during the Ganesh festival.
In order to take care of the bigger and heavier idols during the immersion days, heavy-duty cranes and trolleys have also been placed at all the 23 sites by the municipality, said a civic official.
“We have already carried out several mass awareness programmes about having eco-friendly celebrations by shunning the use of plastic and thermocol. Also, a competition for the best Ganpati pandal will be held in the city by NMMC,’’ he added.
At 14 lakes and ponds located within the civic jurisdiction, temporary structures have been erected so that the devotees who come for the immersions can get a good view of the proceedings and do not rush into the water since that can be risky.