The pond will be managed by NGO Rudra Pratishthan. (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi) The pond will be managed by NGO Rudra Pratishthan. (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi) IN A first, an artificial pond will be used in Thane to offer prayers on the occasion of Chhath Puja. The pond will be managed by NGO Rudra Pratishthan, which organises the puja every year in Thane. Rudra Prathishtan’s convener Dhananjay Kumar Singh (38) and his brother Vinay Kumar Singh (32) plan a clean-up every year before and after Chhath Puja. “The rituals demand that the auspicious objects or arghya is flown in the water. This was leading to a lot of pollution in the Upvan lake, where we generally gather to celebrate the festival. There were a lot of security risks as well in the lake,” Vinay said. The local police had approached the NGO with the idea of using an artificial pond where Ganesh idols were immersed at the end of the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festivities in September. “We realised that it is actually a better idea than using the pond. The area has already been dug up for Ganesh idols, so we are prepping it up using our own funds,” said Vinay. Volunteers from the NGO have made cement steps on one side of the pond, measuring 50 feet by 200 feet. A pandal has also been set up where devotees can rest and wait for their turn. “We will use water from the nearby Upvan lake and fill the pond up to the height of 3.5 feet. Once the festival gets over, the water can be pumped back and the artificial lake will be cleaned by our volunteers,” Dhananjay said. The Thane Municipal Corporation has come in support of the idea. A senior official said, “This is adequately using an existing amenity… it would also reduce pollution in the lakes, while giving the devotees a safe space to perform rituals.” For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App

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