KOLKATA: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will deploy more porters with expertise in swimming during immersion from next year. Mayor Firhad Hakim is hopeful that this will help in the faster lifting of structures of idols after they are immersed in the river.
"The porters will lift the structures of the idols immediately after immersion on the river bank. KMC workers who will be present at the ghat will keep them at earmarked places. I have received feedback from common people that how the cranes are used for lifting the structures from the water hurts the sentiments. Moreover, the deployment of more porters with expertise in swimming will also speed up the lifting process,"Mayor Firhad Hakim said. Hakim, who visited Babughat on Thursday late afternoon, said that the arrangements for immersion at the different ghats in the city will be in place till Saturday—the last date of immersion.
At least 16 ghats in the city host immersion. There are designated bins where flowers and leaves are dumped before taking the idols to the water.
A senior official of KMC said that it is indeed an eyesore watching the lifting of idols' structures with cranes. So the deployment of more porters will also curb visual pollution.
On Wednesday, a person was injured when a payloader of the KMC skidded while lifting structures
during immersion.