It was disappointing to read that the Bhayandar police registered an FIR against 26 to 30 devotees for allegedly breaking the gate of a natural lake in Rai village and performing Ganpati Visarjan there three days ago. The complaint was filed by Yogesh Gunijan, assistant municipal commissioner of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC).

This year, MBMC set up 35 artificial ponds across Mira-Bhayandar for idol immersions and locked natural lakes to prevent water pollution, also putting up banners prohibiting visarjan. Despite this, residents of Rai demanded permission to use their lake and told the civic body they would not immerse idols in artificial ponds. Besides raising points like the lake belongs to the village, they argued that their idols were made of clay. The villagers broke the lock of the lake gate and entered by force. They also allegedly pushed Gunijan. Later, some of them jumped into the water and immersed idols in the natural lake, according to a police officer.

Devotees need to work with the civic authorities and police for this festival. When they were advised to immerse the idols in artificial ponds, one fails to see why there should be any resistance to this rule. The city is moving towards eco-friendly practices, including artificial ponds for immersion, so we must naturally gravitate towards that.