Hyderabad: 8,424 tonnes of debris removed post-immersion

Hyderabad: More than 10,000 sanitation workers and around 5,000 from other departments were involved in bringing the city back to its normal shape after the Ganesh festivities. The tasks included cutting branches on the immersion procession route, creating artificial ponds and movement of cranes and finally removing the debris.

According to GHMC officials, around 8,424 tonnes of debris was removed and 91, 154 idols were immersed spread over six zones this year. The civic authorities, who came up with 74 artificial ponds, were able to divert the immersion of several idols in them.

The sanitation staff, working in three shifts, kept cleaning the roads continuously on the immersion day, especially on the busy ones around Charminar, Begum Bazar, MJ Market, Abids, Basheerbagh and Liberty crossroads. They drew the appreciation of the devotees for their painstaking efforts.

The biggest challenge for GHMC officials before the commencement of the festival was to curb use of PoP idols. A senior official from the GHMC, said, “All concerned departments were planning for two months in order to ensure a successful immersion.”