Vadodara: While idol immersion may have been disallowed at natural ponds in the city, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation ( VMC ) was unable to provide sufficient space for Dashama idols in artificial ponds, sparking a row. Dashama idols were brought for immersion in large numbers at three different ponds in Gorwa, Manjalpur, and Harni areas. As it transpired, only the Dashama pond had sufficient space to accommodate idols immersed there.
The idols kept floating on the surface of the pond in Harni and Manjalpur. Activists and politicians took to social media to slam the civic body regarding the situation. Activist Swejal Vyas said that the ponds in Manjalpur and Harni were very small.
“The idols kept piling up on each other and did not get immersed,” he said. City unit Congress party functionary Rutvij Joshi slammed the VMC and said that the sentiments of devotees were hurt. “If they could not manage this, how will they manage the much larger Ganpati immersions?” he said.
VMC claimed that the idols were seen on the surface as they kept floating due to air getting trapped inside them. At the other end, the teams started the process of shifting the idols to the larger pond in Gorwa. Standing committee chairman Dr Sheetal Mistry also remained present at the Harni pond to oversee the shifting of the idols.
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