Overview

• Under the new SOP aligned with High Court and CPCB guidance, idols under six feet must go to artificial ponds, while taller idols use natural waters marked by pilot low and high tide buoys at select beaches.
• The BMC says 275 artificial ponds are operational citywide this season, expanding capacity over last year and directing devotees to locate nearby sites via its website and QR codes.
• Officials will collect Plaster of Paris remnants from ponds and the sea, move material through ward offices to a Bhiwandi facility, and retain tank contents for up to 15 days as ordered by the state, with 500+ staff deployed.
• A city safety advisory warns of stingrays and blue button jellyfish along the coast and provides extra lifeguards, stocked first-aid and 108 ambulances, alongside cautions for processions on 12 older rail-over bridges.
• Residents and activists in Navi Mumbai question the real-world use of artificial ponds and call for transparent, monitored immersion records.