Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samiti ignores eco concerns, readies 18-foot PoP Ganesha idol
Hyderabad: While the immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesha idols in the Hussainsagar remains uncertain, the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samiti has readied an 18-foot PoP idol for the upcoming 10-day Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations, while the Khairatabad samiti has installed a 50-foot clay idol.
The auction of the Balapur Ganesha laddu usually marks the beginning of the immersion procession.
The Balapur Ganesha idol arrived at the pandal on August 21 from Dhoolpet, where it was made, and Kallem Niranjan Reddy, president of Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samiti, confirmed that the PoP idol would be immersed in the Hussainsagar, despite the Supreme Court's order last year that no PoP idols would be immersed after 2021, while directing the Telangana state government and the GHMC to make alternative arrangements.
If the Supreme Court orders are enforced, the Balapur samiti may be prohibited from immersing the PoP idol in the Hussainsagar. While the Balapur samiti members claim that the government had promised to allow the PoP idol to be immersed in the lake, the city police say that a decision will be made soon by the higher authorities.
When asked if the immersion of PoP idols would violate the apex court's 2021 orders, Balapur station house officer B. Bhaskar stated that the higher authorities would make a decision. Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh M. Bhagwat was unavailable for comment.
While stating that the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samiti was installing a 50-foot clay Ganesha at Khairatabad, Hyderabad city police commissioner C.V. Anand told Deccan Chronicle that eco-friendly Ganesha awareness programmes have been ongoing since January. He declined to comment on the Balapur idol's immersion, which will arrive in the city via the Rachakonda police commissionerate limits.
Anand stated that the department has been in constant coordination with the organisers and SHOs in order to separate PoP and clay idols. According to the city police commissioner, pandal organisers must fill out a Ganesh installation and immersion forms, indicating whether they are installing PoP or clay idols. He stated that each pandal will be assigned after token numbers and immersion spots are separated.
