The Times of India            12.09.2013

Surat Municipal Corporation making artificial ponds for Ganesh immersion

SURAT: Devotees will have to go all the way to Dumas to immerse Ganesha idols made from Plaster of Paris (POP).

Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has started making two artificial ponds in Dumas for the immersion, while Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) is setting up two eco-friendly Visarjan Raths at two places for immersion of these idols on September 18.

Sources in SMC said they have not identified any other locations in the city. "As there is very little time left before the immersion day, it will not be possible to make any more artificial ponds," a top official from SMC said.

One pond will be of 20x10 metre size near Dumas Ovara and the second will be dug up either of 20x30 metre or 50x5 metre size.

GPCB will set up a 5,000 litre capacity tank at Sarita Sagar Sankool and at Umra Ovara. This tank would be placed on a tempo and named Holy Visarjan Rath.

"People would be able to immerse only small idols in this rath. But we appeal to people to take benefit of the facility available and stay away from POP idols from next year," officer, GPCB, G Patel said.

Surat has nearly 34,000 Ganesha idols in different parts of the city and nearly 40 per cent of those idols are made of POP.