The Sunday evening's Ganpati visarjan cost the fauna of Milapnagar lake, in Dombivli east, their lives. On the morning of September 28, dead fish were found floating on the surface of the lake.
The lake at Dombivli's Milapnagar is an immersion spot for many small Ganpati idols. Idols of 15 feet height and above cannot be immersed in this lake, as the lake itself has a depth of 15 feet. Due to its limited capacity the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has put a restriction on the immersion of huge idols in this lake.
"But on September 27, in spite of the heavy police bundobust many Ganesh mandals immersed big idols of 15 feet and above in this lake," says Raju Nalavade, activist and secretary of Dombivli Welfare Association. The association has 450 housing societies from MIDC area in Dombivli east, as its members.
On Monday morning, fish like white shark, mangoor, which are one to 1.5 feet in length, were dead and found floating on the water. "Some dead tortoise were also found. Since it is a small lake, the heavy Ganpati idols suffocated these fish and killed them," he says.
The residents allege that this happens every year and nobody is doing anything to stop it. "Again during Navratri and Maghi Ganeshotsav, idols of Durga and Ganpati will be immersed, thereby causing further damage to the fauna," he adds.
Nalavade has taken up the issue with KDMC. He has sent an email to KDMC commissioner informing about the issue, on September 28. He also said that now the residents will start their committee to save these dying lakes. "With water shortage in Maharashtra, such lakes are going to help the public. Thus, we are forming a resident committee to save them," says Nalavade.
When we contacted E Ravindran, KDMC commissioner, he was unavailable for comments.
