Overview
- Civic officials confirmed late Friday that 12,661 idols had been immersed by 9 pm on the festival's fifth day, following a one-and-a-half-day immersion on Sept. 15–16 that saw 61,640 idols taken to water.
- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has installed 383 artificial ponds at 278 locations, readied 67 authorised natural immersion sites and deployed more than 25,000 staff with cranes, rafts, ambulances and 1,132 lifeguards.
- The Bombay High Court’s August directive is being enforced: idols up to six feet must go only into artificial ponds while larger idols may be taken to the designated natural sites such as beaches, jetties and lakes.
- To reduce pollution the BMC distributed over 940 tonnes of shadu clay and 25,400 litres of eco-friendly paint, launched a ‘One Ganpati, One Tree’ planting pledge and set up nirmalya bins and dumpers for offerings.
- Officials reported no untoward incidents so far and highlighted trained volunteer first responders, repaired procession routes and warnings about seasonal marine life as part of preparations for the concluding visarjan on Sept. 25.