PMC limits Ganesha idol stalls to 500 in 41 spots

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation has permitted stalls for selling Ganesha idols at 41 places to check the spread of the coronavirus.
Places have been picked under the jurisdiction of the 15 ward offices. They include the grounds of municipal schools. Only 500 licences will be issued for these stalls. Every year, around 4,000 stalls are set up and they sell around 4.5 lakh idols.
The civic administration has issued the notification. Around 500 stalls will be set up at these locations. Areas like civic properties, amenity spaces and grounds have been selected.
“The civic administration has decided to permit only these spaces to make sure that physical distancing is maintained. Crowding during the purchase of the idols can be avoided with such restrictions,” the circular said.
“The PMC will make sure that the spaces are made available for traders. Norms of physical distancing and other precautions should be followed,” mayor Murulidhar Mohol said.
Classrooms in municipal schools should be put to use for such activity, he added. The traders can keep the idols in these rooms. The civic administration should not charge high rent from the traders, civic officials said.
The administration has banned setting up of stalls on the roads or footpaths. “Action against illegal stalls is being taken. The PMC has issued notices to such stalls and offenders are being fined,” a civic official said.
Cops won’t allow crowd outside Dagdusheth temple
The Pune police will not allow crowds to gather in front of Shrimant Dagduseth Halwai Ganapati Mandir on Shivaji Road during the 10-day festival that begins on Saturday.
The police conducted an anti-terror mock drill at the temple on Sunday afternoon.
An impromptu call was made to the Pune police control room following which Quick Response Teams, Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, senior police officers, and rapid action teams arrived at the spot.
A suspicious object was removed from the temple premises by the BDDS team after the area was evacuated by the other teams.
Police inspector Ram Rajmane of Vishrambaug police station said the temple will remain closed for devotees.
“There will be a 24-hour bandobast for 10 days in front of the temple. We will ensure that no crowd gathers,” he said.
A senior police officer told TOI, “We wanted to check the promptness and alertness of the teams. Hence, a hoax call was made to the control room after a bag was placed on the temple premises.”