Nagpur Immerses 1.65 Lakh Ganesh Idols in Artificial Tanks for Eco-Friendly Visarjan
In Nagpur, 1,65,505 Ganesh idols were immersed in 419 artificial tanks set up by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) during the recent Ganesh festival. On the day of ‘Anant Chaturdashi,’ thousands of devotees gathered at various immersion points across the city to bid farewell to ‘Ganpati Bappa.’
To ensure smooth and eco-friendly immersion (Visarjan), the Municipal Commissioner and Administrator personally inspected major sites and offered guidance to officials and staff. Nagpur is the only city in India that has banned the immersion of Ganesh idols in natural water bodies, a step towards environmental conservation.
NMC provided 419 artificial tanks for the immersion of smaller idols, while larger ones were submerged in a special tank constructed at Koradi. Municipal Commissioner Dr. Chaudhari, accompanied by senior NMC officials, visited sites like Futala Lake, Sonegaon Lake, and other immersion points to oversee operations. This year, 1,212 idols were installed by Ganesh mandals across Nagpur, with 457 immersed on Tuesday, all in Koradi’s artificial tank. The Nagpur Police Department also ensured smooth traffic flow and safety at these sites.
Out of the total immersed idols, 1,60,809 were clay, while 4,696 were made of Plaster of Paris (PoP). NMC placed Nirmalya Kalash (bins for religious offerings) near every immersion point, collecting 169.72 tonnes of offerings (Nirmalya). A team of 1,132 civic staff worked diligently to maintain cleanliness throughout the event.
However, support from NGOs was modest this year, unlike previous years where they played a significant role in assisting devotees and maintaining cleanliness. Despite fewer NGOs present, organizations like Green Vigil Foundation, Rotary Club of Nagpur, and Green Maha Club contributed to the cause. NMC Deputy Commissioner Dr. Gajendra Mahalle acknowledged the help from these groups but noted that NMC had sufficient manpower to manage the immersion sites. Some devotees did express difficulty due to the absence of volunteers at certain spots.
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