Artificial Ponds: A Step Toward Sustainable Celebrations
Mumbai witnessed the immersion of more than 40,000 Ganesh idols on the fifth day of Ganesh Chaturthi, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Monday. Devotees carried out the rituals peacefully across the city’s beaches, lakes, and nearly 290 artificial ponds created for the festival. By Monday morning, a total of 40,225 idols had been immersed, including 39,037 household idols, 1,175 from public mandals, and 13 Hartalika Devi idols. No untoward incidents were reported. Ganesh Chaturthi, which began on August 27, will conclude on September 6 with Anant Chaturdashi. Many families traditionally immerse idols on the 1.5-day, 5th-day, or 7th-day of the festival. Earlier, on the 1.5-day immersion, more than 60,000 idols were immersed.
Of these, nearly half were made of eco-friendly clay, while the rest were Plaster of Paris (POP). POP idols are lightweight and inexpensive but non-biodegradable, releasing harmful chemicals when immersed in water bodies. This has raised growing concerns over pollution in lakes, rivers, and seas. To address this, the BMC has enhanced efforts to promote eco-friendly celebrations. This year, nearly 290 artificial ponds have been set up across Mumbai to reduce the ecological impact on natural water bodies, and collaborated with NGOs to raise awareness about clay idols. Citizens were also encouraged to carry out home-based immersions for smaller idols.
These initiatives reflect an increasing public shift toward sustainable practices, with many devotees opting for eco-friendly idols and artificial ponds to balance tradition with environmental responsibility
