Tank Bund still the preferred spot for idol immersion

Small ponds dug by the GHMC for the purpose have few takers

Police and GHMC workers at the baby pond near Necklace Road. K.V.S. Giri

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has constructed dozens of small ponds on the fringes of big lakes in the city for the immersion of Ganesh idols and also for releasing Bathukammas during Dasara. But Hyderabadis are giving the small ponds a miss, preferring to immerse the idols where all the tamasha takes place: Tank Bund. On Tuesday 422 idols were immersed in the Hussainsagar Lake, while 33 idols were immersed in the purpose-built baby pond on the Necklace Road side of the lake.

Officials hopeful

“Yesterday 160 idols were immersed using this crane. Today the number is lower but will pick up by evening,” said a police official tracking the immersion process.

“The water here is clean and that’s why we thought we will immerse the idol here rather that on the Tank Bund side. Last year also we immersed here,” said B. Srinivas who brought the Ganesh idol installed in a temple in Indira Nagar on Road No 2 Banjara Hills.

By 6 p.m. on Wednesday, only 2 idols were immersed in the small pond as half a dozen policemen and GHMC volunteers waited out. The pond was inaugurated with much fanfare last year and was also used for Bathukamma.

The baby pond constructed on the lake bed of Malkam Cheruvu is seeing more number of immersions as many of the housing complexes have installed idols that are not taller than five feet.

The baby pond being constructed in Patti Kunta, a small lake beside the Agriculture University in Rajendranagar, is not yet ready. “It was to be ready by the third day but we don’t know when will they complete it,” said a police official. Over the last four days 69 idols have been immersed in the lake while work is going on for the baby pond.

The GHMC has already built 25 such small ponds and more are being planned.

The ponds vary in size between 40 metres and 43 metres and are to a depth of 4 metres. The cost of each pond is about ₹ 55 lakh which involved dumping of waste material which is then plastered with a layer of concrete.

According to GHMC officials, the plan is to pump in the water from the lake during the festival and at the end of the festival, clear up the silt. Keeping the bigger water body clean.

But with people preferring lakes instead of the smaller ponds, the very purpose of the ponds is defeated.