Ganesh Visarjan: 38,094 Ganpati idols immersed till 9 pm, says BMC

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC on Sunday afternoon said that the immersion of Lord Ganesha idols during the one and a half day Ganesh Visarjan 2024 went off smoothly and peacefully Upto 9 pm a total of 38094 idols had been immersed across various locations in the cityAmong the 38094 idols those were immersed on Sunday till 9 pm include 195 sarvjanik public idols 37879 Gharguti household idols and 20 Hartalika IdolsOut of these 18696 idols were immersed into artificial lakes ensuring an environmentallyfriendly option the officials saidThe immersion process so far was being conducted without any untoward incidents and the authorities have reported a successful and peaceful conclusion to the one and a half day Ganesh festivities an official saidHe said that in all until 9 pm 143 sarvjanik idols were immersed in artificial lakesApart from these Gharguti idols those were immersed in artificial lakes were around 18537 and 16 Hartalika idols were immersed in artificial lakes on Sunday afternoon the civic body saidMeanwhile the 10day Ganeshotsav 2024 began in Maharashtra on Saturday with idols of the deity being installed in homes and at public pandals across the state amid fanfareFamilies including children and elderly members stepped out of their homes early morning to bring their beloved god home amid chants of Ganpati Bappa Morya and the beating of drumsMany people were seen carrying the idols of Lord Ganesh in autorickshaws cars and other modes of transportTraditional dholtasha drum troupes accompanied the processions which began in the morningMany mandals groups that celebrate the festival in public places brought in their Ganesh idols with grand processions in the last few daysThe idols will be installed at homes and in pandals with ritualsDevotees thronged vegetable and flower markets sweet shops and roadside stalls for buying flowers puja materials sweets and decorative itemsIn Mumbai around 15000 police personnel besides senior officials have been deployed for security during the 10day Ganeshotsav 2024As many as 32 Deputy Commissioners of Police 45 Assistant Commissioners 2435 officials 12420 constables home guards and personnel of the State Reserve Police Force Rapid Action Force and Riot Control Unit will be on the streets an official saidMore than 2500 Ganesh mandals and lakhs of households in the financial capital of the country will be celebrating the festivalAuthorities received 3358 applications from Ganesh mandals and permission to put up pandals was granted to 2635 mandals as of Friday a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC officials saidTthe BMC has asked people to be on guard against stingray and jellyfish bites during Ganesh festival idol immersionsHundreds of big idols are immersed in the Arabian SeaHarmful fish that can bite Ganesh devotees during immersion have been found in large numbers in trial netting conducted by the Maharashtra governments Fisheries Department a BMC release saidThe trial netting was done off the coast at Girgaon and Dadar and fish like Dhomi Kolambi Shingti Blue Jelly Fish Ghoda Masa Chhote Ravas etc were found along with jellyfish and stingrays it saidCitizens should take precautions during Ganpati immersion the BMC said