KMC should not promote ‘idol-donation’ drive during Ganesh Chaturthi, demand Hindus

KMC should not promote ‘idol-donation’ drive at immersion place during Ganesh Chaturthi ! – ‘Hindu Dharma Sanghatana’s representation

Kolhapur : ‘Andha-shraddha Nirmulan Samiti (ANS)’ and so-called environmentalists used to undertake ‘idol-donation’ drive for few years during Ganesh festival; but devotees didn’t much respond to the same. Lot of Ganesh-devotees immerse idols in flowing water. Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) closes roads going to river at such times; therefore, devotees going for immersion, face problems. In a circular issued by Maharashtra Government regarding prevention of water pollution, there is no mention about local ‘Swarajya Sanstha’ or municipal corporation’s administration collecting Ganesh-idols for immersion; therefore, municipal corporation should not undertake idol-donation drive at immersion- places during Ganesh Chaturthi, was the demand made through representation submitted by ‘Hindu Dharma Sanghatana’ to KMC’s Health Officer. He promised to convey the demands to Municipal Commissioner.

Shri. Balasaheb Nigavekar of ‘Kumbhar’ community, Shri. Sanjay Kulkarni, Maharashtra region-convener of ‘Hindu Mahasabha’, its District President Shri. Nandkumar Ghorpade, its city-Chief Shri. Manohar Sorap, Kolhapur District’s Coordinator Sou. Rashmi Adasul, women’s Vice-President Smt. Suvarna Powar; Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana’s President Shri. Kishore Ghatge, ‘Patit Pavan Sanghatana’s District-President Shri. Sunil Patil, its Vice-President Shri. Akash Navarukhe, ‘Hindutvavadis’ Shri. Shivajirao Sase, Shri. Govindrao Deshpande and HJS volunteers were present on the occasion.

It has been stated in the representation that

1. People are throwing plastic bags, sewage water, solid waste and other trash in river, through ‘nullah’, in Kolhapur district. Such water pollution has endangered people’s life.

2. Flesh of slaughtered animals is thrown in river water without any processing. All 3 water-purification machines in sewage-water processing centre are not in working condition; therefore, everyday 25 tankers full of trash is directly thrown in River Panchganga.

3. KMC has not taken any steps so far to prevent washing of clothes, animals etc in river water or to stop brick-furnaces or for removing soil from the bank.

4. In the ‘nullah’ next to Chhatrapati Shivaji Udyamnagar Industrial colony, chemical effluents from factories are released.

5. In the area of ‘Dudhal Nala’, gold-silver businesses, polishing, buffaloes nurturing etc is going on and acids, poisonous chemicals, animals excreta is thrown as it is.

6. In ‘nullah’ near Chhatrapati Pramilaraje Hospital, organic and other trash and sewage water is released directly in River Panchganga through ‘Jayanti Nullah’.