Summary:
These mandals were allowed to charge fee for immersions of idols depending upon their size. No fee was charged from devotees for immersions of idols in the artificial ponds. SURAT: For the first time in Surat, immersions of more than 60 ,000 idols took place in artificial ponds built by Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) free of cost.Until last year, immersions were carried out by mandals at 34 different ovaras of Tapi river. If average fee for immersion of an idol was fixed at Rs200, this meant the mandals collected about Rs1.2 crore for 60,000 idols.SMC had built 20 artificial ponds at various places. However, fee was charged for immersions of idols ranging from 5 feet to 9 feet in height in the sea at Hazia and Dumas.DM Jariwala, additional city engineer, in-charge of artificial ponds, SMC, said, “Mandals have saved lot of money which they can use for good causes.”tnn.