Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, the coordinating body of Ganpati mandals, has appealed to the state govt to swiftly issue clear guidelines for the immersion of large plaster of paris (PoP) idols in the Sea. At present, legal restrictions prevent visarjan from being performed in the sea.“The ten-day festival of Ganeshotsav begins Aug 27 and the idols will start arriving in their pandals from the second half of July,” samiti president Naresh Dahibawkar said. “Even as the matter of PoP idol immersion stretches on in the high court with the next hearing scheduled July 23, mandals are seeking clarity from the state about whether of not they will be permitted to immerse PoP idols in the sea. Two tall Maghi Ganesh idols from Kandivli still await immersion in their pandals since Feb.“The samiti also urged the state govt to seek an urgent hearing from the high court in view of festival preparations.Mandals are reluctant to immerse big idols in the BMC’s artificial water tanks.
