MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, coordinating body of Ganpati mandals, has written to CM Devendra Fadnavis and Dy CM Eknath Shinde, urging them to find a solution to immerse Maghi Ganesh idols whose visarjan was not allowed in natural water bodies on Feb 11 following a High Court ban.
Ganesh mandals have come in for criticism for competitively large PoP (plaster of paris) idols as well as their insistence on immersion in natural water bodies.
The Samiti has also taken up for PoP moortikars, saying their livelihood will be affected if the ban is enforced.
However, Naresh Dahibawkar, president of the Samiti, said that the body neither represents moortikars nor Maghi mandals. “Neither of them are our members. BSGSS does not make moortis, and we do not celebrate Ganeshotsav. We are a coordinating body to solve any disputes that arise between govt and festival organisers, in order to prevent a law and order problem. Since the 2020 SOPs were issued, we have been asking the govt to give PoP moortikars a chance to explain their stand. It should appoint scientific experts by IIT and NEERI. The govt has twice appointed a committee whose findings have yet to arrive.”
The Samiti’s concern spans the forthcoming Ganeshotsav festival in Aug-Sept as 10,000 sarvajanik mandals and around two lakh households largely rely on PoP idols for the festival. “We are not in favour of the govt approaching the Supreme Court in appeal against the ban because the courts will decide on the basis of available evidence and documentation,” said Dahibawkar.
Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, coordinating body of Ganpati mandals, has written to CM Devendra Fadnavis and Dy CM Eknath Shinde, urging them to find a solution to immerse Maghi Ganesh idols whose visarjan was not allowed in natural water bodies on Feb 11 following a High Court ban.
Ganesh mandals have come in for criticism for competitively large PoP (plaster of paris) idols as well as their insistence on immersion in natural water bodies.
The Samiti has also taken up for PoP moortikars, saying their livelihood will be affected if the ban is enforced.
However, Naresh Dahibawkar, president of the Samiti, said that the body neither represents moortikars nor Maghi mandals. “Neither of them are our members. BSGSS does not make moortis, and we do not celebrate Ganeshotsav. We are a coordinating body to solve any disputes that arise between govt and festival organisers, in order to prevent a law and order problem. Since the 2020 SOPs were issued, we have been asking the govt to give PoP moortikars a chance to explain their stand. It should appoint scientific experts by IIT and NEERI. The govt has twice appointed a committee whose findings have yet to arrive.”
The Samiti’s concern spans the forthcoming Ganeshotsav festival in Aug-Sept as 10,000 sarvajanik mandals and around two lakh households largely rely on PoP idols for the festival. “We are not in favour of the govt approaching the Supreme Court in appeal against the ban because the courts will decide on the basis of available evidence and documentation,” said Dahibawkar.
