HYDERABAD: Height of Ganesh idols will once again become the bone of contention between police department and event organisers in the city or so it seems.
Office bearers of Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS) on Monday issued a statement in this regard: Restriction put on Ganesh mandap organisers by Hyderabad and Cyberabad police to limit the height of idols in Greater Hyderabad limits would not be tolerated. Mandap organisers should be allowed to install the idols irrespective of their height and as per their convenience. Police should not create any problem on the issue, they said.
BGUS quotes court
Supporting their statement, the BGUS members said that a division bench of Hyderabad High Court in its orders last month made it clear that the Court was not inclined to pass orders regarding reducing the height of Ganesh idols in Hyderabad. Addressing a press conference on Monday, BGUS General Secretary Bhagwanth Rao said that mandap organisers who have started installing idols are being summoned to the respective police stations and being ordered to install idols of smaller size.
Bhagwanth Rao said that instead of creating bottlenecks for the organisers, the police should let the festival be celebrated in a religious manner. Meanwhile, in areas like MJ Market and others where metro rail works are underway, the samithi members are asking mandap organisers to keep in mind that the idols must pass without obstructions from below the metro viaduct.
immersion of idols only in Hussainsagar
The BGUS has made its stand clear regarding immersion of Ganesh idols: immersion will take place in Hussainsagar itself.
On the issue of pollution in the lake due to idol immersion, Rao said the lake is anyway polluted throughout the year by industrial effluents and mixing of sewage.
“No one raises their voices then but blame the Ganesh festivities conducted once a year as a major reason for pollution even though the idols are removed within 24 hours of immersion by GHMC and HMDA,” he added.
If one checks the pollution levels of Hussainsagar on any normal day and compare it with the day after Ganesh idol immersion, they wouldn’t find much difference and even the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) has proved this, he added.
The BGUS also demanded the state government to provide free power supply to all Ganesh mandaps during the 11-day-long festivities from September 5 to 15.