Alandi Municipal Council collected 7,000 Ganesh idols and two tonnes of nirmalya during this year’s Ganeshotsav after residents used designated collection points and artificial immersion tanks instead of immersing idols directly in the Indrayani river.
The civic body had appealed to devotees to adopt environment-friendly immersion practices because the river faces increased pollution pressure during the festival, when large numbers of idols and religious offerings are traditionally immersed in the water. In response, the council established immersion tanks and collection centres at several locations across Alandi.
Barricades were placed at multiple points along the river, while volunteers were deployed to guide devotees and prevent direct immersion. Collection centres opened early in the day, allowing residents to hand over idols and separate nirmalya, which includes flowers and other religious offerings.
Alandi resident Swapnil Kamble said the arrangements allowed devotees to observe the tradition without adding to river pollution. “We were happy to hand over the idol for an eco-friendly immersion,” Kamble said.
According to chief officer Madhav Khandekar, council officials and volunteers worked together to move the collected idols to designated facilities. The idols were taken to Siddhabet Meditation Hall at the municipal water purification centre for further processing.
Council president Prashant Kurhade said residents were recognising that responsible celebrations did not require them to abandon tradition. He said the use of artificial tanks and the separate collection of nirmalya could help protect the Indrayani.
The initiative was the eighth consecutive year in which the council planned an eco-friendly immersion arrangement. The repeated programme indicates that the civic response has moved beyond a one-time festival appeal towards an annual operational system involving infrastructure, collection points, crowd guidance and volunteer support.
However, the handling of collected idols remains a concern for some residents and activists. Activist Vilas Kate said that the council must ensure the idols are treated carefully and prevent incidents that could hurt the sentiments of devotees. He referred to earlier instances in which the treatment of collected idols had caused concern among residents.
The council’s next responsibility is to oversee the safe processing of the collected idols and nirmalya at the designated facilities while maintaining public confidence in the immersion system. The arrangements also place the focus on how small civic bodies can manage festival waste and protect sensitive urban waterways through planned collection and controlled processing.
