At least 11 persons met watery grave in Ganesh immersion-related incidents across Maharashtra on Tuesday, as lakhs of Mumbaikars hit the city streets to bid an emotional goodbye to the elephant-headed God after the 12-day-long festivities, amid loud but rhythmic drum beats and chants of “Ganpati bappa morya, pudhchya varshi lavkar ya” (Hail lord Ganesh, do come back early next year).
A day after the Supreme Court stayed the recent Bombay HC order that had put on hold the amended Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 that had done away with 1,537 notified silent zones in the city, loudspeakers blared across the metropolis with noise levels peaking during ganpati immersion .
Disappointed with the SC’s order, activist Sumaira Abdulali, who has been fighting for silence zones for the past one and a half decades, had tweeted in the morning: “55db restriction still apply to #ResidentialZones only 5dB more thn #SilenceZones Mumbai, pl tweet #noisepollution readings to @Dev_Fadnavis”.
When contacted by “The Pioneer”, Abdulali said, “Currently we are in the process of measuring decibel levels in various parts of the city. I can share the decibel level figures with you tomorrow morning”.
While three boys Adil Keertishai ( 12), Sagar Telbathe (13), Rajesh Gaikwad (12) drowned during Ganpati immersion proceedings in Shivnai lake at Aurangabad, a 15-year-old boy met watery grave in Umari river in Beed district.
While taking a selfie, a 23-year-old boy, Kishan Sonare, drowned in a river during the Ganpati immersion proceedings at Nashik. An 18-yearold boy drowned at Sonagaon near Kudal in Sindhudurg district in coastal Konkan region. Two boys –Sonaji Shelke (15) and Pawan Warkade (17) washed away in Mula river near Jagtap dairy at Kaspate Vasti at Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune.
Two drowning deaths were reported from Jalgaon district in north Maharashtra.
An assistant sub-inspector who was posted on Ganeshotsav duty suddenly collapsed and died at lalbaug in south central Mumbai
The Island city of Mumbai and its suburbs came under thick security blanket, as colourful processions of major Sarvajanik Ganesh idols – including Mumbai’s prestigious “lalbaugcha Raja” and “Mumbai Cha Raja” –made their way through their from lalgaug in south central Mumbai and passed through Sane Guruji Marg, Byculla west, Nagpada, Suthar Galli, CP Tank, VP road and Opera House.
The most revered idol “lalbaugcha Raja” which had left lalbaug at around 11 am, was expected to reach the Arabian Sea waterfront of Girgaum Chowpatty in the small hours of Wednesday.
Nearly 10,000 huge idols installed by as many Sarvajanik Mandals and at least 2,00,000 domestic idols were immersed at 69 natural and 31 artificial immersion spots this year
like every year, there was a huge turnout of people at various other immersion sites across the city, including Dadar Chowpatty, Juhu Chowpatty,Marve beach, Madh Island, Powai lake, Madh Island, Manori Beach, Gorai beach,Mahim beach, Aarey lake, the Mithi River, its branches and various artificial lakes. In all, there were 119 immersion spots.
The Mumbai police had made elaborate arrangements for the Ganesh immersions. Apart from 40,000-strong police force deployed all across the city, 3,600 traffic police personnel and 500 traffic wardens were deployed along the processions routes. The police had installed 5,000 CCTV cameras and a large numbers floodlight. Drone cameras kept an eye at five major spots – Girgaum Chowpatty, Shivaji Park, Juhu, Badi Masjid, Bandra and Ganesh Ghat at Powai.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) had also made elaborate arrangements along various suburban stations on the Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) route particular along the Dadar station and also the Harbour line of CR. Also on duty were several companies of State Reserve Police (SRP), at least two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel and 500-odd home guards along the procession routes and at the various immersion sites.
The Indian Coast Guard and Navy patrolled the areas around Chowpatty, using ships, hovercraft and helicopters. The Navy had kept in readiness divers at Chowpatty.
Coast Guard helicopters hovered over the city skies keeping a close watch on the proceedings at the major immersion sites, including Girgaum-Chowpatty in south Mumbai. The police had set up as many 50-odd watch towers set up at major waterfronts, including Girgaum and Dadar chowpatties to keep a close watch of the proceedings.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis Fadnavis carried an eco-friendly Ganpati idol installed at his official residence “Varsha” and immersed it in artificial water body set up on the very premises.