Shallow Godavari worries authorities

Bhadrachalam: The district administration is worried about pollution because of immersion of Ganesh idols in Godavari River that started on Thursday.

The main concern of officials is the decreasing water level in the river at Bhadrachalam. Nowadays it looks like a small stream in the temple town.
Because of being it a holy river and its vicinity to the Sita Rama Temple, the devotees and Ganesh pandal organisers prefer to immerse the idols in Bhadrachalam.

Not only that the idols from various mandals and villages are immersed here, the Ganesh pandal organisers in the neighbouring states like states Odisha, Chhattisgarth, AndraPrasesh also bring here their idols to immerse here.
According to officials as 2,000 to 3,000 Ganesh idols are immersed here every year. The Lord Rama temple, panchayath and other departments organise and observe the conduct of the immersion programme at a level.

But the problem is that due to low water level in the river this year, the idols are not immersing properly and floating on water. “The situation is very bad. The river Godavari looks like a stream as the water level is only 13 feet high on Thursday,” said an official.

So far nearly 200 idols were brought for immersion in last seven days. After the immersion program the idols floating on the Godavari water. Some of the idols have reached the river bond due to the no depth in the river.

“When only 200 idols are not drowning here, how many more idols will immerse in the river on the last days is a big question,” said an official on condition of annonimity.

Meanwhile, Temple Executive Officer Pamela Sathpanthy and Sub-Collector Bavesh Mishra, Police officials visited the Godavari river and inspected the immersion programme locations.

Understanding the situation the officials are contemplating making alternate arrangements for the immersion programme. They have a plan to divert some of the idols to other places for the immersion.

Expressing his concern over the possible pollution that may happen following the immersion of idols in the shallow river, a senior citizen of the temple town TV Ramana appealed to the authorities to divert the Ganesh idols to some places to save Godavari from this situation.