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BMC’s SOP for environmentally sustainable Ganesh Chaturthi in place
The BMC distributed over 1,000 tonnes of clay and more than 1,000 litres of eco-friendly paint free of cost to idol makers to help them transition from Plaster of Paris (PoP).
Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is prepared with new ways to contain water pollution during this Ganeshotsav. In line with directives from the Bombay High Court and the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB’s) guidelines, the civic body released a fresh set of guidelines for the immersion and recycling of idols earlier this month.
The BMC distributed over 1,000 tonnes of clay and more than 1,000 litres of eco-friendly paint free of cost to idol makers to help them transition from Plaster of Paris (PoP). The Maharashtra government has also directed idol makers to mark PoP idols with a red circular symbol for easy identification.
On the day of visarjan, the final destination for each idol will be decided based on its height. “All idols under six feet, regardless of whether they are made of clay or PoP, will be submerged in artificial ponds. Idols over six feet can be immersed in natural water bodies,” said a civic official.
The civic body has set up 288 artificial ponds throughout the city, while idols over six feet will be immersed in 68 natural water bodies. According to the SOP, the artificial ponds—managed by public organisations—will retain the remains of the idols inside the tanks for at least 15 days before they are collected for further processing.
Meanwhile, idols over six feet, which are to be immersed in natural water bodies, are advised to be submerged between the low tide line (LTL) and high tide line (HTL). On a pilot basis, the civic body has begun setting up buoys—anchored floating navigation markers—to highlight the LTL and HTL, in line with the CPCB’s 2020 idol immersion guidelines.
“The tide lines will be marked as per suggestions from the Maharashtra Maritime Board,” said an official. The demarcation will take place in patches at Versova, Girgaon, Aksa, Juhu, Worli Jetty, and Dadar Chowpatty.
After the immersions, the civic body aims to collect all PoP remnants from both artificial tanks and the sea, for which over 500 staff members have been deployed along coastal zones. “The POP collected from the ponds and natural bodies will be transported to the ward offices. From all 24 ward offices, it will then be transported to a recycling facility in Bhiwandi for storage,” said Kiran Dighavkar, deputy municipal commissioner of solid waste management.
This is the first time the civic body has taken up this activity, following the high court order. “We have sought expert opinions from 12 institutions on how to recycle tonnes of plaster without generating additional environmental impact,” added Dighavkar.
Further, in line with the guidelines, flower and decorative material collection bins are in place, and mandals have been advised to collect flowers and decorations for recycling.
In 2024, the city had 1,557 idols at public pandals, along with 2,574 Gauri idols and 77,874 Ganesh idols in households. As of Tuesday, the civic body had received 2,957 applications to set up pandals, of which 2,181 were approved, and the rest were under process.
Warning about 12 old bridges, stingrays, and jellyfish
The BMC has warned Ganpati mandals to be cautious during processions on 12 old bridges in the city, as they lack adequate load-carrying capacity.
The advisory applies to 12 bridges that pass over the Central and Western Railway lines: Ghatkopar Railway Flyover, Curry Road Railway Flyover, Arthur Road Railway Flyover (Chinchpokli), Byculla Railway Flyover, Marine Lines Flyover, Sandhurst Road Flyover, French and Kennedy Flyovers (between Charni Road and Grant Road), Falkland Road Railway Flyover (between Grant Road and Mumbai Central), Mahalaxmi Station Railway Flyover, Prabhadevi–Carroll Railway Flyover, and Lokmanya Tilak Railway Flyover at Dadar.
The BMC has directed mandals to pause loudspeaker processions while crossing these bridges, as the structures cannot handle excessive weight. It has also appealed to the public not to overcrowd the bridges, and advised processions to move swiftly without prolonged halts in these zones. While some of the bridges are already under repair, work on others will begin after the monsoon.
Separately, the BMC has also issued a warning about blue button jellyfish and stingrays along the city’s coastline. The civic body has cautioned citizens not to enter the water barefoot and has advised wearing gumboots to prevent stings.
Additional lifeguards have been deployed along the coast, and citizens are advised to follow their guidance for safety. This advisory follows alerts from the fisheries department, which stated that the presence of blue button jellyfish and stingrays typically increases between August and October along the Mumbai coastline.
Essential medicines to treat stings will be available at ambulances and health units stationed along the beaches.
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