Overview

• Mumbai reported 59,407 idol immersions on day two of the festival as the BMC increased artificial ponds to 288 in line with directives that idols under six feet use only man-made tanks.
• Thane recorded 19,567 immersions in the first one-and-a-half days, with a sharp rise in the use of artificial lakes and more than 15 tons of ritual waste sent for biocomposting.
• Hyderabad’s GHMC prepared 74 artificial ponds and 20 major lakes, deploying 14,486 sanitation staff, 134 static cranes, 269 mobile cranes, nine boats, 16 DRF teams and 200 swimmers for safe operations.
• Kalyan-Dombivli launched a live portal mapping natural and artificial visarjan points with Google navigation and traffic insights, supporting arrangements at 65 sites in Kalyan and 62 in Dombivli under the six-foot rule.
• A citizens’ forum alleged Navi Mumbai has not enforced artificial-pond immersions despite 143 ponds being built, releasing video from quiet pond sites as the civic body has yet to respond.