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The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
CCB to feed pilgrims during Ganesha Chaturthi
City corporation of Belagavi plans to provide food to devotees who visit the city during Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan told reporters in Belagavi on Saturday that the modalities were being worked out. 'CCB commissioner B. Subha has proposed this idea of a 'Maha Prasad' to visitors. This is because most visitors find it hard to find refreshments in the city especially at night. The CCB is yet to finalise its budget, but an estimated 50,000- 70,000 persons would be given food at least one time in a day. They are focussing on providing meals at night,'' he said. They would take a decision about the venue and timing, after discussing with police officers, the Deputy Commissioner said. He said over 1,000 idols were expected to be installed in the city this time. 'Officers of revenue, city corporation, police and health and other departments would work jointly to make all preparations to ensure the festival was conducted smoothly,' he said. 'The number of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols has come down this year. But in the light of various court judgments and government rules, it is necessary to bring it down to zero. We hope to do it in the coming years,' the Deputy Commissioner said in response to a query. Earlier, at a meeting of Ganesha mandals, he appealed to all members to cooperate to celebrate the festival with peace and harmony. 'Belagavi district is at the forefront in the grand celebration of Ganesha festival. Like all years, let us join hands to celebrate the festival in a grand manner,' he said. 'Precautions should be taken to ensure that illegal activities do not take place under the pretext of celebrating the Ganesha festival. It is necessary to install clay idols of Ganesha so that the environment is not damaged, and it is mandatory to obtain permission before installing the idols,' he said. The departments should coordinate with the city corporation to remove dangerous plants, trees, electric wires and cables from the immersion route so that they do not cause inconvenience during the Ganesha immersion procession. He instructed the Fire and emergency Department officers to be ready to work twenty-four hours a day during the Ganesha festival and asked Hescom to deploy personnel in all the Ganesha mantaps of the city. 'The use of fireworks is strictly prohibited during the Ganesha immersion. Permission is mandatory for installing banners and buntings. Skilled swimmers should be appointed at the Ganesha immersion sites. He also instructed the municipal corporation officials to arrange mobile toilets and clean drinking water for the convenience of the public arriving for the Ganesha festival. He said that the departments should take full responsibility for the Ganesha festival. The complaints of all department officials should be responded to immediately,' Mr. Roshan said. Police Commissioner Bhushan Gulbarao Bhorase said all mandals had to follow some rules in installing idols. He said strict action would be taken against those who violated the guidelines in the installation of disco jockey music systems. As per the order of the Supreme Court, the use of loudspeakers is prohibited after 10 p.m. There are more than 64 small and big hospitals on the roads where the idols move during the Ganesha immersion. mandals should stick to the time limits for the procession so as not to cause inconvenience to patients. He said that the Police Department will take immediate action to resolve the problems within 48 hours of receiving complaints from the city regarding the department. The commissioner said Ganesha idols should not be too tall to prevent disasters. 'Entertainment programmes should be completed within the stipulated timing. Ganesha mandals should appoint volunteers who are present from the beginning to the end of the Ganesha immersion If any riot or law and order disturbance is found during the Ganesha festival, action will be taken against such people without any hesitation, he said. 'Such conditions have already been laid out before giving permission to mandals,' he said. Mandal office bearers asked officers to ensure that all the eight pits used for immersion be cleaned. They sought facilities for the women and children who arrive in large numbers. They also appealed to keep hotels open till late at night and to make appropriate transport arrangements for the convenience of the public. Additional Superintendent of Police R.B. Basaragi, Deputy Commissioner of Police Narayan Bharamani, and others were present.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Ban on PoP Ganesha statues: Demand for clay idols surges
Dharwad: The strict implementation of ban on making and using Plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesha idols by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and district administration, demand for clay and other eco-friendly idols has surged this year. Nearly a dozen teams of officials from the district administration have cracked down on the PoP idol making units and have even seized the idols. The objective is to ensure that the district is free of PoP idols. While the move has been widely welcomed, idol-makers are struggling to cope with the increased demand. Deputy commissioner Divya Prabhu has made it clear that PoP idols will not be allowed under any circumstances. "Our devotion should not harm the environment. Worship must not become a curse for future generations," she said, urging citizens to act responsibly. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on a grand scale in the twin cities of Dharwad and Hubballi, with over 1,000 large idols installed at street corners and public spaces. With just ten days left before the arrival of the elephant-headed god, artisans are working round-the-clock to keep pace with demand. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo Making idols using only clay is a labour-intensive process and hence only a few have taken up the work. Eco-friendly idol maker Manjunath Hiremath of Kelgeri said the makers are racing against time to meet the demand. "Unlike PoP idols, clay idols take far more time to make. The scarcity of locally available clay has only made the task more challenging. Moreover, making clay idols requires both skill and time, and not many artisans possess this expertise. Though training sessions were offered in the past, they drew only limited participation from idol makers," he said. Hiremath, who begins making eco-friendly Ganesha idols right after Deepavali, is now working over 16 hours a day to meet orders—1,000 small idols for households and more than 100 large idols for public installation by Ganesh Mahamandals. When compared to last year, this time, the demand has increased by 30%, he added. During the pandemic, restrictions were placed on the size of the idol, but this year there are no such limits—a relief for both artisans and Mahamandals. Many groups have placed orders for idols over 8 feet tall, each taking nearly 60 hours to craft. Materials are sourced both locally and from outside the district, and water-based paints—requiring at least two coats—are used instead of chemical-based colours. Artist Kantesh has been holding clay idol-making workshops for high school students, encouraging them to craft and install idols in their homes. Around 40 such training programmes, in association with NGOs, have already been conducted. To further encourage eco-friendly celebrations, Mahamandals are offering special prizes for groups that install clay idols and use sustainable materials for pandal decorations. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
BMC to deploy manpower, machinery to collect and process PoP idols during Ganesh festival
Following the Bombay High Court's order to recycle Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols during the upcoming Ganesh festival, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced on Friday that it would set up processing centres and recycling units across Mumbai. The civic body has also issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), stating that all the immersed idols will be immediately retrieved from the water bodies as they will not be allowed to remain submerged for a prolonged period, reducing the risk of water pollution. According to the detailed SOP, the idols will be retrieved either manually or with the help of machines. 'The Bombay High Court, in its recent order on July 24, had explicitly emphasised the need for an expert scientific committee to suggest methods for the reuse and recycling of PoP idols. The same is under consideration, and in view of the above, following the set of SOP along with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines shall be applied to the process of retrieval of immersed idol at the zone level and transportation to construction debris waste processing facility at Dahisar and Shilphata,' the BMC order said. The civic body further explained that all idols will be immediately removed from the water within 24 hours. The smaller idols will be retrieved immediately, while the larger ones will be retrieved using cranes or other machines, it stated. BMC would clear the idols from the water bodies by employing labourers in a 12-hour shift where the dumper trucks transporting the retrieved idols would be paid Rs 8,800-Rs 9,700 for each shift. The dumper truck shall have a minimum capacity to transport 18,500 kg with a tarpaulin covering. 'The cost includes the labour charge, driver's fare, fuel and toll charges, parking fee, and insurance charges. A minimum of three labourers shall be used for loading and unloading of the idols into the vehicles,' an officer said. He maintained that an estimate will be prepared based on these rates and ward-level officers will invite tenders for the vehicles. 'Ward-level recycling units will collect and sort the idols after the immersion. If it is seen that they could be sorted at the local level, it will be done so, or else they will be sent to the C and D facilities at Dahisar or Shilphata (Thane) for final processing. The cost of the entire process will be funded by BMC,' said the officer.
