Mira-Bhayander: Looks like Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation has missed the memo on preserving water bodies during Ganeshotsav. Its workers were spotted on Tuesday spraying the sludge collected from an artificial tank created for idol immersions into an adjacent pond in Mira Road. The act triggered protests from locals and prompted an activist to lodge a police complaint.Civic workers began cleaning up the tank in Kashimira area ahead of idols’ arrival on the seventh day of the festival. A video showed them then using a power hose to push the sludge into the nearby pond, Jari Mari Talav. Jatin Dadhich, activist who sought an FIR against the officials involved, said the civic body failed to walk the talk. “While it prohibits the immersion of plaster of paris idols (PoP) in lakes, its own officials were seen depositing PoP sludge from artificial immersion tanks directly into the pond. This action is a clear violation of the guidelines issued by the state govt and the directives of Bombay HC.” Locals also alleged a garbage truck was used to move partially dissolved idols from the site. Rebutting this, senior civic officials said strict instructions have been given to the staff against using garbage vehicles for any activity related to Ganeshotsav. Around 35 artificial tanks have been set up Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation for Ganeshotsav.
