Pune: No public Ganeshotsav, river immersions this year

PUNE: Divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao on Friday said the administration will not permit public celebrations of Ganeshotsav or immersion of idols in rivers and canals in Pune district.
“We appeal to the people to celebrate Ganeshotsav in their homes. We have appealed to MLAs and MPs to reach out to citizens, mandals and devotees and promote celebrations at home,” Rao said.
Citing Thursday’s online meeting with Union government officials, Rao said there is a consensus about boosting health infrastructure and restricting religious and political congregations. The administration decided against public, cultural or social events for Ganeshotsav after a meeting with deputy CM Ajit Pawar on Friday.
Around 5,000 permissions are granted each year for setting up pandals for the festival across the Pune municipal areas. Over 11,000 mandals are active in the corporation limits, including in housing societies. As many as 4.5 lakh idols are immersed every year in rivers and makeshift tanks. The Pune Municipal Corporation alone sets up around 500 tanks.
This time, sale of Ganesh idols on the roads has been banned and mobile immersion tanks will be made available.