Ganesha festival: 75 single-window centres to be set up in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Ahead of the Gauri-Ganesha festival, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued a set of guidelines on Wednesday, which includes a complete ban on the use of chemical paints, thermocol, and plaster of Paris (PoP) idols. Idols found to be made with any of the aforementioned items will be seized and disposed of, and criminal cases will be filed against individuals found responsible, BBMP Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao M said. The order follows discussions held on August 5. To erect Ganesha idols in public places, organisations or individuals must apply at the offices of the assistant executive engineers designated as nodal officers at the sub-divisional level. The nodal officers will coordinate with the police, BESCOM, fire department, and other relevant departments to obtain and issue approvals. To streamline the process of granting permissions for the installation of Ganesha idols, 75 single-window centres will be set up at sub-divisional offices within BBMP limits, and relevant officers will be present at these centres to provide approval. As far as immersion is concerned, designated immersion locations in each ward will be identified by BBMP. To handle the wet waste generated during the festival celebrations, arrangements will be made to send the waste to the BBMPs processing units. Apart from public displays, individuals celebrating at home are urged to immerse the idols at home in buckets, and repurpose the clay remnants into manure.