Delhi prepares 81 immersion ponds, rolls out Namo vans

The Delhi government has set up 81 artificial ponds across the Capital for Ganesha idol immersion this year, with the facilities also slated to be used for Durga Puja immersions and Chhath-related activities, officials said on Tuesday

The Delhi government has set up 81 artificial ponds across the Capital for Ganesha idol immersion this year, with the facilities also slated to be used for Durga Puja immersions and Chhath-related activities, officials said on Tuesday.

The mobile units will provide on-the-spot registration and renewal, information on welfare schemes, assistance with documentation and access to digital services. (Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times)

The ponds have been created at parks, Ramlila grounds, vacant plots and other government and public-use sites as immersion of idols in the Yamuna and other water bodies remains prohibited except at designated locations. Immersion of plaster of Paris idols in water bodies is also prohibited.

The designated sites include Gopal Malik Park near Shastri Nagar Metro station, Udyan Marg, Ajmal Khan Park and Aastha Kunj near Lotus Temple Road, besides locations in Dwarka, Mayur Vihar, Patparganj, Rohini, Kirari, Jahangirpuri, Shalimar Bagh and Mundka.

In east Delhi, facilities have been identified at Buddha Park, Neelam Mata Mandir, Rajesh Pilot Park, Trilokpuri and Kondli, while southeast Delhi will have sites around Barapulla, Sarai Kale Khan, Jaitpur and Govindpuri.

Officials said the artificial ponds will subsequently be used for Durga Puja idol immersion and later for Chhath-related activities.

Separately, chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday flagged off four ‘Mobile Namo Shramik Seva Kendra Vans’ from the Delhi Secretariat as part of the government’s Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, aimed at taking registration and welfare services to construction workers and other labourers.

The mobile units will provide on-the-spot registration and renewal, information on welfare schemes, assistance with documentation and access to digital services.

The government plans to deploy 13 such vans, one in each district. Officials said they will visit labour chowks, construction sites and other locations where workers are employed.

Gupta said the initiative was intended to reduce workers’ visits to government offices and prevent the resulting loss of daily wages.

“Workers are the foundation of Delhi’s development. Now, services will reach their doorstep instead of them having to visit offices,” she said.

Labour minister Kapil Mishra said the vans would assist workers with registration, renewals and applications for government schemes, besides providing information on eligibility and required documents.