Mumbai: Citizens hold silent protest at SGNP against Ganesh idol immersions in Dahisar river
The citizens held a silent protest at Mumbai’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) Thursday morning against the decision to allow Ganesh idol immersions in Dahisar river inside the national park on the tenth day of the festival on September 10.
The protest, held at 7 am, was organised by Mumbai March, a citizens initiative working to push for the rejuvenation of Mumbai’s rivers.
Mumbai March is also in the process of filing a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court Thursday to disallow the immersion inside SGNP.
The immersion inside SGNP was stopped in 2018 and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) constructed permanent artificial immersion ponds outside the national park in its car parking lot.
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However, political banners and posters were put up in the area Tuesday announcing to Ganesh mandals that immersion is now being allowed inside the national park.
“The boating spot at SGNP is turned into an immersion spot. This is the source of the Dahisar river. The spot is rich in marine biodiversity,” Vikram Chogle from Mumbai March said.
“Moreover, the immersion spot is about a kilometer inside the park. As immersion goes on till late morning the next day, there will be loud music, flood lights and a lot of crows inside the park overnight,” he added.
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Chogle further said Mumbai March sent notices to the BMC, forest officials and the Pollution Control Board regarding the decision but did not receive a reply, adding they will hence approach the court shortly.
The BMC had in December 2021 inaugurated a project worth Rs 246 crore for the rejuvenation of the Dahisar river that is presently underway.
