Summary:
In a bid to dissuade local residents as well as Sarvajanik Ganesh mandals from immersing Ganesh idols in the Dahisar river inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), the BMC along with forest department and local activists will create three artificial immersion ponds, right outside SGNP gate at Borivali. In 2018, a small artificial pond inside SGNP was dug up just opposite to the boating pond as a pilot project. "We have to ensure that not a single idol goes inside SGNP for immersion in Dahisar river," he said. Meanwhile, SGNP officials too have been urging people not to immerse idols in Dahisar river and help protect the water quality of the river. "There are several artificial ponds around SGNP and these should be used instead of natural water bodies," said a senior official..