If you have plans to immerse a Ganesha idol in the neighbourhood lake during this year’s festival, be warned.
Residents Welfare Association (RWA) volunteers will be guarding the city’s lakes during the festivities. The is part of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) civic participation initiatives to protect the lakes.
With Ganesha Chaturthi just days away, the BBMP has dug up Kalyanis (a pond in the buffer zone of the lake) for Ganesha idol immersions in 24 lakes within the city limits, making one lake available for immersion for every eight wards on an average.
Speaking about the security of the lakes during the festival, Jagannath Rao, executive engineer (lakes), BBMP, said: “We have included the RWAs in the matter and there are volunteers for monitoring. Meanwhile, the mayor has instructed to increase security during the festival. The lakes which are not listed will be closed for the purpose.”
The BBMP has divided the lakes, that will have immersion ponds adjacent to them, among eight zones. Yelahanka zone will have eight lakes, six in Mahadevapura, two lakes each in Bommanahalli and South zones, three lakes in RR Nagar zone and one lake each in Dasarahalli, West and East zones.
Meanwhile, the civic body will also be creating ponds for the immersion of idols in available public lands in the wards, away from the lakebeds so that the overflowing water will not contaminate the water bodies. According to the BBMP, the Kalyanis in 24 lakes are created in enough space away from the actual water body. Outlets to have been arranged accordingly.
“We have already constructed ponds and outlets for the Ganesha idol immersion next to the lakes. In no way, the lakes will be contaminated. In other areas, the BBMP will construct ponds in available areas of the wards for a temporary purpose,” executive engineer Rao told DH.
The BBMP has spent about Rs 8 crore on the ponds for idol immersion in 24 lakes.