27 September,2026 01:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/PTI
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) transported 2,754.85 metric tonnes (MT) of retrieved idols and other post-immersion material generated during the Ganesh festival between September 16 and 27, using 707 vehicle trips as part of its post-immersion waste management operation.
The civic body said the highest quantity was transported on September 26, when 510.92 MT of material was moved through 131 vehicle trips. Among the civic wards, K/West recorded the highest quantity at 314.82 MT, followed by S Ward with 253.58 MT and D Ward with 249.43 MT.
The retrieval and transportation operation was carried out in line with directions issued by the Bombay High Court and recommendations of an expert committee of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The guidelines require material deposited in designated artificial immersion ponds to be removed and stored in an environmentally sound manner. The material is subsequently required to be taken up for regeneration, recycling or reuse.
To manage the operation across Mumbai, the BMC had put in place a citywide Standard Operating Procedure covering the retrieval, transportation, documentation and temporary storage of post-immersion material.
Ward-level teams were responsible for coordinating the removal of immersed idols and other material from designated locations. The civic body also deployed clean and covered vehicles for transportation. The weight of material transported in each vehicle was recorded at weighbridges, while ward-wise data, photographs and daily progress reports were maintained as part of the monitoring process.
The civic body noted that idols made from plaster of Paris (PoP) do not dissolve naturally in the same manner as traditional clay idols. When post-immersion material remains in artificial ponds for extended periods or reaches natural water bodies, it can affect water quality and interfere with the subsequent use of immersion facilities.
The material can also be carried out of water bodies and accumulate along beaches and other waterfront areas, creating an additional waste-management challenge.
For this reason, the timely retrieval of immersed PoP idols and related material is an important part of post-immersion environmental management, particularly after large-scale celebrations that generate substantial quantities of material over a short period.
The BMC said the physical condition of idols after immersion also makes retrieval and transportation more difficult. PoP idols become wet and fragile after being submerged and can partially disintegrate during retrieval, loading, transportation and unloading.
Given the volume of material generated during the festival, mechanical assistance was used as part of the handling process. The retrieved material has been transported to a designated temporary storage facility in Mulund, where it is being consolidated pending further processing.
The BMC said the stored material will be taken up for scientific recycling and reuse. The civic body has also invited expressions of interest to identify suitable technologies that can process the material in accordance with environmental requirements.
The post-immersion operation is part of the civic body's broader waste-management responsibilities following the festival. The BMC said its approach seeks to ensure that material recovered from immersion locations is handled and stored systematically while environmental requirements are followed.
The civic body said the measures are intended to balance the conduct of religious celebrations with its statutory responsibilities relating to waste management and environmental protection.
