Capital readies eco-friendly ponds for Ganesh utsav, Durga Puja immersions
New Delhi: Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Monday reviewed the city’s preparedness for Ganesh Chaturthi and upcoming Durga Puja idol immersions, emphasising environmentally responsible celebrations. The preparations are being guided by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a sustainable Delhi.
Speaking about the initiative, Shri Sirsa said, “When faith meets responsibility, our Yamuna stays pure and our festivals stay vibrant.”
Over 80 artificial ponds have been set up across all 11 districts to provide safe and accessible immersion sites, with West Delhi hosting 20, East Delhi 16, North-West 12, South-East nine, South-West seven, Shahdara, South, and North-East five each, Central Delhi four, and North Delhi one. The locations were finalised after consultations with local MLAs and resident welfare associations to ensure neighbourhood-level access.
Officials informed the minister that the ponds are being prepared with support from the Irrigation & Flood Control Department, while the Delhi Jal Board will fill them with water. Sirsa instructed that the pond water be recycled for road sprinkling and park irrigation afterward, calling it “a textbook example of circularity in city governance.”
Safety measures are also being prioritised. Emergency health support, including ambulances, will be stationed at each site under the supervision of Chief District Medical Officers. Festival committees have been asked to share immersion routes with Delhi Police for traffic management, CCTV coverage, and crowd control.
“Nothing unites Delhi like its festivals, they represent the composite culture of the national Capital, and nothing should endanger them: not polluted water, not traffic chaos, not medical delays,” Sirsa stressed. He added, “Every devotee deserves a seamless visarjan, and we are leaving no stone unturned.”
The Environment Minister praised district teams for their proactive coordination and urged strict adherence to timelines to ensure a smooth and eco-friendly celebration for all devotees.
