BMC's eco-friendly step for Banganga

Being the month of Shradh, most Hindu devotees in the city make their way to Banganga tank located at Malabar Hill to perform the rituals of pitru paksha, where they put ingredients such as flowers and flour into the water. Every year, soon after the rituals are performed, dead fish are seen on the surface of the water body.

The BMC has created artificial ponds where devotees make offerings

However, this year to avoid the same, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has created two artificial ponds at the mouth of the tank where they have appealed to the devotees to offer flowers and other things associated with the ritual.

Bins have been placed for devotees to put leaves, paper and plastic bags. Pics/Bipin Kokate

Ponds align with water level
The two artificial ponds are at the same level as the water in the tank, so when one prays and offers the flowers and the flour-made pinda in the artificial pond, they feel like they are offering it in the tank itself. Parag Masurkar, the ward officer of D-ward confirmed that they have created ponds, and are requesting them to put the flowers in them.

"The ponds are created so that people paying homage to their deceased can put flowers into them. Every year after the rituals, we see many fish floating dead in the tank. So this year, we are requesting the public to be sensitive towards the fish. We are happy that people are following the same and things are going smoothly," he said.

The BMC has also kept dust bins this year at every spot, where the devotees can put the leaves, paper and plastic bags, instead of littering them near the tank. The BMC claims that it is regularly cleaning both the artificial ponds to make space for the devotees to perform the rituals.u00a0