Hyderabad: Artificial ponds receive good response

Hyderabad: The 74 artificial baby ponds set up by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for the immersion of Ganesh idols seem to be well received by the devotees on Friday. Dressed in their best traditional attire, they were seen heading to the ponds.

A few gated communities and some pandals have opted for an eco-friendly way of immersing clay idols at their premises in artificial ponds.

According to the GHMC officials, immediately after the immersion, the pooja 'samagri' is being removed separately and dumped in a van. Also, the sanitation staff is being deputed to clean the pond. The idols are being shifted to different places after the immersion.

"As there was a problem going to the Tank Bund for people who reside at faraway places, we have created ponds in nearby areas. The ponds received a huge response

"Setting up an artificial baby pond in our circle has made the immersion process more simpler and feasible, as every year we wait in a long queue at Tank Bund and eagerly wait for our chance to come. This year we easily could immerse idols smoothly," said Krian of RK Nagar, Malkajgiri.

"The idea of setting up baby ponds in nearby localities of the city have lessened our burden. Earlier it was difficult to go all the way to Tank Bund from Kukatpally. We used to return late at night, but this year we could complete the immersion within an hour", said Vinay of Kukatpally.

Said a member of Health League, Kacheguda, "during the past many years we decided to immerse the Ganesh idol at our premises. Being a citizen first, it is our duty to create awareness among people to choose clay idols, instead of those made of plaster of Paris. For the past many years we are installing clay Ganesh at our pandal. Like the way and wholeheartedly how grandly the immersion takes place at Hussainsagar, at our campus we follow all the traditional ways to immerse the idol in an artificial tank."