HYDERABAD: With the festive spirit for Ganesh Chaturthi already in the air, thousands of idols in different forms and sizes are reaching pandals across Greater Hyderabad ahead of the grand festivities from August 27.
To ensure hassle-free immersion and reduce pollution of lakes and tanks, the GHMC is preparing 74 artificial waterbodies under three categories — 27 portable prefabricated water tanks, 20 temporary excavation tanks and 27 baby ponds. This is three more than last year.
Officials said the initiative aims to ease the strain on existing water bodies, especially from Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols, while also ensuring that devotees need not travel long distances or face crowding at major lakes. Sanitation staff will be deployed at the ponds to receive idols, while local police will guide pandal organisers and others during immersion.
Post-immersion, puja material and debris will be segregated and sent to landfills. Portable ponds will be dismantled and stored for reuse, while excavated tanks will be levelled back to the ground.