Hyderabad: Talasani reviews arrangements for Ganesh festival in city

Hyderabad: Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav on Tuesday said that the State government would make all the arrangements for the ensuing Ganesh Festival in a grand manner.

Speaking to the media after a review meeting with various departments and Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi and other association members, Talasani said that the festival is celebrated in a grand manner in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits. About 35,000 idols would be installed in the three commissionerates including Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda.

In view of the Green Ganesh initiative, the GHMC would be distributing four lakh eco-friendly Ganeshas, PCB would give away one lakh and HMDA would distribute another one lakh idols. The festival starts with Chaturthi on August 31 and will end with a mass immersion on September 9 on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi.

Srinivas Yadav said that Hyderabad was among the top when it comes to Ganesh Festival celebrations in the country and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao always says any festival should be celebrated in a grand manner. "The government will make all the arrangements without any obstructions and with the support of all sections including Balapur Utsav Samithi, Secunderabad Utsav Samithi, Khairatabad Utsav Samithi and Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi.

Yadav said that barricades were being set up by the R&B department so that the devotees who come to visit the most popular Khairatabad Ganesh do not face any inconvenience. The Minister would visit Khairatabad Pandal along with the officials on August 24 and supervise the arrangements. He said that in addition to the 25 ponds in different parts of the city, another 50 ponds were being constructed for the immersion of idols and added that repairs and development works would be undertaken at necessary places on the roads where idol processions will be held. Cranes, lighting, generators, yard swimmers and other necessary arrangements will also be made available in the idol immersion areas.

The minister said that 8,000 GHMC staff would be on duty in three shifts on the day of Ganesh immersion on September 9. Members of the Utsava Committee and the public have also been requested to cooperate to ensure peaceful conduct of Ganesh Utsav. During the occasion, all the participants in the meeting sang the National Anthem.