Hyderabad: Artificial ponds a big hit this year

Hyderabad: This year, immersion at the artificial ponds received a good response, as devotees dressed up in their best traditional attire were seen heading towards the 73 artificial ponds on Tuesday.

Several artificial ponds including Safilguda lake , Kapra Cheruvu, IDL Lake, Hasmathpet Lake, Saroornagar Lake and few more received a huge footfall. Several gated communities and a few residential colonies this year have opted for an eco-friendly way of immersing the clay idols at their premises in artificial ponds.

According to the GHMC officials, immediately after the immersion, puja samagri were removed separately and then dumped in a van. Also, sanitation staff has been deputed to clean the pond. The idols will be shifted to different places after immersion. As there was a problem going to Tank bund for the people who reside far away, so we made ponds in the nearby areas and with setting up these ponds we have received a huge response.

“Setting up an artificial baby pond in our circle has made the immersion process simpler and feasible. This year, we easily could immerse the idol very smoothly,” said Ravi, a resident of Malkajgiri.

“The idea of setting up the baby ponds in nearby localities in the city has lessened the burden of us and it is very feasible for us. But it will better if more similar ponds are set up, “said Vinay, a resident of Kukatpally. Meanwhile, a few members of Residential Welfare Association urged that it will be better for next year immersion if a few more ponds are developed, as due to their shallow depth, idols of just five to eight feet were immersed and the rest often end up being immersed directly in the lakes which leads to environmental issues.