Water shortage delays Ganesh immersion

Vemulapally ( Nalgonda): With the conclusion of the Vinayaka Navaratri festivities, a large number of devotees reached Vemulapalli in Miryalaguda constituency of Nalgonda district for the immersion of Ganesh idols. However, inadequate water in the Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal, which was designated for the immersion, caused frustration among devotees.

Several idols had already been immersed in the canal, but due to the low water level, some of them did not submerge completely, leaving devotees disappointed.

Ganesh festival committees and devotees from Nalgonda and Miryalaguda who arrived at Vemulapalli with idols expressed concern over the situation. They questioned why there was insufficient water at the immersion point despite announcements that water had been released for the purpose.

Local residents said that although the government and public representatives had announced the release of water for Ganesh immersions, the situation at the Vemulapalli canal appeared different. This raised questions over when the water was released, the quantity discharged, the flow through the canal and how much water actually reached Vemulapalli. Residents said officials should have verified water availability and safety arrangements well in advance, particularly as thousands of devotees were expected to participate in the immersion programme. They said shortcomings in the arrangements could cause inconvenience and safety concerns for devotees.

Following complaints from devotees over the shortage of water at Vemulapalli, Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy intervened and urged Nagarjuna Sagar project authorities to immediately release water into the Sagar Left Canal for the Ganesh immersions.

Acting on the instructions, water was released and reached the Vemulapalli area around 6 pm, providing relief to devotees waiting to immerse the idols.

However, local residents said the situation could have been avoided if proper coordination over water availability had been ensured before the immersion programme began. They sought clarity from the government on why there was a gap between the announcements and the situation on the ground. “People need not just assurances, but results that are visible on the ground,” devotees and local residents said.

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The Hans India