COVID-19: Livelihood of Ganesh festival-linked people in peril

With Maharashtra government calling for low-key Ganpati celebration this year in view of COVID-19 pandemic, livelihood of people associated with festivities, which generate a turver of more than Rs 70 crore every year in Mumbai, has been versely affected. re are some 12,000 Sarvajanik Ganesh mandals.

Besides, nearly two lakh idols are installed by citizens at ir homes every year, Naresh Dahibavkar, president of Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, an umbrella body coordinating between civic body, government and Ganesh mandals, told PTI.

"re is a small industry which works during festival involving flower vendors, electricians, those selling items like bamboo for setting up mandaps, those providing transportation facilities, artisans and many more," he said.

" business turver during festivities here is over Rs 70 crore and government also gets taxes," he said, ding that livelihood of those involved in celebration-related works would be affected this year.

Ganeshotsav is most popular festival in Maharashtra. pandals set up by various mandals in Mumbai and or places in state attract thousands of devotees during 10-day festival, which begins on 'Ganesh Chaturthi'. This year, 'Ganesh Chaturthi' falls on August 22. Over years, Ganpati celebrations have grown by leaps and boundssince it became a 'sarvajanik' (public) festival more than a century ago.

In 1896, plague epidemic cast a show on festival here. At that time also, celebrations were subdued and people used photograhs of Lord Ganesh on ir wall calenders to offer prayers since idols could t be me, Dahibavkar said. This year, in wake of coronavirus outbreak, re was a proposal to postpone festival to February next year. But, from January 1, 2021, use of Plaster of Paris will be banned. "What to do with idols alrey me?" he said.

Besides, open s for setting up pandals are provided as per high court order for 12 days a year. In 2021, open s will t available for 24 days (12 days in February and 12 days later during Ganesh Chaturthi), he said. He also said after discussions between government and civic body, it was decided to cap height Ganesh idols at four feet so that requirement of people to carry idols for installation and immersion is minimum, he said.

Restricted height would ensure immersion at a nearby site, he said, assuring that hygiene protocols would be followed during festival. Meanwhile, idol makers, who are usually much in demand in run up to festival every year, are also facing heat of pandemic. Brihanmumbai Ganesh Murtikar Sangh president Gajanan Tondvalkar said y h asked civic body to allow idols of less than five feet to be me almost a couple of months before actual decision for idols of four feet was taken.

"Most of workers live in tiny homes and y need open s for making idols. t all have ir own . We have been demanding a single window clearance system for setting up mandaps for idol-making.

"But, that has t happened for last 15 years. We need permission from local police station, traffic police, environment department, fire brige and health department. This year se permissions were waived off. But we got only 35 days to start work on idols," he said.

Referring to ir or problems, including use of material for making idols, Tondvalkar said clay idols take time to dry.

"If permission for open s is given on time, we will make only clay idols. Because of time constraints, we can't complete all orders this year," he rued.

"We got clay from Gujaratin five containers. Due to lockdown, we h difficulty in getting se vehicles into city. Doesn't condition of Ganesh idol makers matter to decision makers? Livelihood of lakhs of people is dependent on Ganesh festivities," he said.

"First, you waste time in taking decision on height of idols, but dont consider important aspect of providing . instructions are to follow social distancing rms, and use masks and sanitisers. How to follow social distancing when re are constraints?" he asked.

Tondvalkar said since y have t been provided s in open playgrounds, y have option but to work on footpaths and orsuch places. As per new guidelines, state government has asked citizens to worship metal or marble Ganesh idols at home or install clay idols of t more than two feet, and perform immersion at ir homes. tably, Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh Mandal, which installs Mumbai's most famous Ganpati idol, earlier this month anunced cancellation of Ganesh Chaturthi celebration this year in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

GSB Ganeshotsav Samiti in Wala area has alrey postponed celebration to 'Magh Shudh Chaturthi' in February next year, a samiti official earlier said. Dahibavkar said this year, blood donation, health camps and public awareness campaigns on coronavirus will be held inste of cultural programmes. Online darshan facility for idols installed at sarvajanik mandals would be me available for devotees, he said, ding that mandals have also been asked to avoid decoration and lighting on st. re are 84 immersion points in Mumbai and apart from se, more artificial ponds will be created, he said.