In Mumbai: Eco-friendly Ganesh mandals to win big in Navi Mumbai

To encourage mandals, the municipal corportaion is organising the Navi Mumbai Mahapaur Sarvajanik Shri Ganesh Darshan Spardha

The city is all set to see a eco-friendly Ganeshotsav this year.

An artiste gives finishing touches to a Ganesha idol in Navi MUmbai on Thursday. (HT Photo)

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is rooting for an eco-friendly celebrations and has urged organisers to use materials which do not harm the environment.

To encourage mandals, the municipal corportaion is organising the Navi Mumbai Mahapaur Sarvajanik Shri Ganesh Darshan Spardha.

The competition will be held from August 25 to September 5. The NMMC has told mandals and organisations in the city to submit their applications for the competition by August 20 at respective ward offices.

Some of the parameters will be eco-friendly idols, decoration and programme organisation, social message and aesthetics in decoration and set, hygiene and cleanliness in the pandal area, discipline, process of fund distribution, educational and social programmes during festivities and organisation of cultural programmes.

Municipal commissioner Ramaswamy N said, “Since the aim is to promote environment preservation through Ganeshotsav, the mandals that install idols made of shadu or eco-friendly material will score higher.”

He added, “The sets should promote social harmony and imbibe cultural values. The results will also take into account the objectives being presented by the mandals.”

Mayor Sudhakar Sonawane said, “We appeal to the residents to celebrate eco-friendly Ganeshotsavs in their houses and sarvajanik mandals by using materials that do not harm the environment.”

Who can participate

It is mandatory for the mandals and organisations participating in the competition to be registered with the charity commissioner. A copy of the registration certificate should be attached with the application. If a mandap has been put up for the festivities, it should have permission for the same from the NMMC. Besides this, the mandal should also have legal electric connection, fire department NOC and permission from the police department for use of sound systems, security and related issues.