Nagpur: A centuries-old Ganesh immersion tradition of the Bhonsale dynasty has brought it into direct conflict with Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), after the Maskarya Ganpati idol was immersed in Gandhisagar Lake despite a blanket ban on immersion in natural water bodies.Raje Mudhoji Bhosale asserted that the tradition would continue, while NMC issued a show-cause notice to its Dhantoli zonal officer over the incident.Bhosale claimed the idol, made of clay without plastic, thermocol or other non-biodegradable materials, dissolved completely in water and did not cause pollution. He questioned why the traditional immersion was being opposed when the lake was built by his ancestors and has been associated with the family’s Ganesh idols for centuries.“This is a 300-year-old tradition, so why should it suddenly become an issue?” he said, adding, “We do immersion of two idols, Ganesh idol and Maskarya Ganpati, in a year.”Bhosale also questioned the proposed development of a hanging garden and a hanging hotel near the lake, arguing that their potential environmental impact should be examined. He cited the closure of other traditional water bodies, including those near Raman Science Centre and Cotton Market, and questioned why their historical and cultural significance had not been preserved.The controversy erupted after a video of the idol’s immersion on Thursday night went viral on Instagram. The footage reportedly shows swimmer Jagdish Khare helping the organisers immerse the idol in Gandhisagar despite the prohibition on immersion in natural water bodies.NMC deputy municipal commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Rajesh Bhagat said the state govt and municipal commissioner Vipin Itankar had prohibited idol immersion in natural water bodies. The public health engineering (PHE) department is responsible for implementing the orders.“An idol was immersed in Gandhisagar on Thursday night despite the blanket ban,” Bhagat said, adding that NMC had issued a show-cause notice to assistant municipal commissioner and Dhantoli zonal officer Pramod Wankhede, seeking an explanation as to why action should not be taken against him.The incident has also raised questions over enforcement of the ban, given the substantial expenditure on rejuvenating the historic lake. According to PHE department information, Rs36.92 crore was spent on the first phase of the project, which received overall administrative approval of Rs49.82 crore. The works included desilting, strengthening lake walls and developing pathways and electrification infrastructure.NMC’s Swachh Bharat ambassador Kaustav Chatterjee demanded strict action against those responsible, including an appropriate fine for immersing the large idol. He said those who complied with NMC’s appeal to use artificial immersion tanks should not be treated unfairly.“Barricading of lakes, installation of over 400 artificial tanks and the tireless efforts of NGOs will lose their meaning if such incidents are not addressed appropriately. NMC must act firmly to prevent a recurrence,” he said.NMC ARRANGES IMMERSION FACILITY AT TAKLINMC has arranged a dedicated facility for traditional Maskarya Ganesh idol immersion at the tank at Police Line, Takli. As of Friday, 10 idols had been immersed against 129 installed across the city. Mayor Neeta Thakre has appealed to mandals to use the facility to prevent water pollution.
