Pune’s Ganesh visarjan safety arrangements have been strengthened with 20 fire officers, 20 fire brigade personnel and 120 lifeguards scheduled to be deployed across 15 main immersion ghats along the Mutha river during the festival period.
Fire brigade officials inspected the immersion ghats on Monday as devotees gathered at locations along the river for the visarjan ceremonies. The inspection was conducted to reduce the risk of accidents, particularly incidents involving people slipping and falling into the river while carrying out immersions.
The deployment will cover the principal immersion ghats along the Mutha river. Personnel will be equipped with life jackets, life rings and ropes to support rescue operations in the event of an emergency. Lifeguards are also being stationed near the river and lake areas used for immersion activities.
The inspection was led by Chief Fire Officer Ganesh Sonune and Assistant Officer Vijay Bhilare. During the visit, the officers spoke with the fire brigade personnel, officers and lifeguards assigned to the ghats and instructed them to give priority to the safety of devotees, according to information provided by fire brigade officials.
Ganesh idols are immersed after periods including one-and-a-half days, five days and seven days, according to local festival practice. The largest crowd at the immersion ghats is expected on Anant Chaturdashi, when devotees traditionally gather for the final major visarjan ceremonies.
The fire brigade is also scheduled to position a fire tender along the immersion routes in addition to deploying personnel at the ghats. The arrangements are intended to ensure that emergency assistance can be provided quickly in the river and lake areas during the festival period.
The deployment places rescue personnel and basic water-safety equipment at the points where crowd movement, river access and immersion activity converge. The next operational milestone will be the implementation of these arrangements at the 15 main immersion ghats and along the associated immersion routes during the scheduled visarjan days.
