BMC restricts gathering for home installation of Ganesh idols

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday said only five people should participate in arrival and immersion processions of domestic Lord Ganesh idols during Ganpati festival next month in view of COVID-19 pandemic. BMC, which is spearheing Mumbai's fight against coronavirus, me a special appeal to citizens in this regard ahe of festival to curb spre of COVID-19 in metropolis, which has recorded more than 1 lakh cases and nearly 6,000 deaths so far.

Requesting people to refrain from doing any act that will le to spre of COVID-19, civic body warned that violators may invite strict action under relevant sections of Epidemic Act 1897, Disaster Manment Act, 2005 and Indian Penal Code.

Asking people to follow safety protocols that include use of mask or shield, hand sanitizers and social distancing rms during 10-day Ganpati festival, BMC appealed to citizens to avoid participating in big processions to safeguard ir families from COVID-19. civic body said domestic Ganpati idols should be me using eco-friendly materials and ir height should t be more than two feet.

"Inste of using idols me in clay, if possible worship metal or marble idols," BMC said in a release.

civic body asked people to carry out immersion of eco-friendly Ganpatis at home and if that is t possible, n idols should be immersed in artificial lakes. BMC said taking out a common procession of domestic idols from a society or building should be avoided.

Also, children and elderly persons should t be taken to immersion locations, it said. Besides public installation of Lord Ganesh idols, thousands of people install such idols at home and immerse m on different days during 10-day festival, most popular religious event in Maharashtra.