Mumbai, Sep 7 (PTI) The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS), the coordination committee of Sarvajanik Ganapati mandals in Mumbai, on Monday said it has sought clarity from Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on standard operating procedures (SOPs) for serving ‘mahaprasad’ during the upcoming festival.
During an interaction with the media at Mumbai Press Club, BSGSS president Naresh Dahibavkar said the committee was willing to support measures aimed at ensuring food safety but urged authorities to consider financial constraints of smaller mandals and clearly communicate the applicable norms.
“I agree 100 per cent that action being taken by the department is correct. But our difficulty is we cannot appoint contractors because we do not have that much money. If a reputed contractor is mandatory, please tell us what we should do,” a committee representative said during the interaction.
Dahibavkar said representatives of mandals had approached the committee with concerns about applicable norms and SOPs, after which a letter was sent to the authorities in this regard.
The BSGSS, which was formed in 1982, currently represents around 12,000 public Ganesh mandals, according to Dahibavkar. It works with the police, traffic authorities, BMC, environment department etc on issues faced by mandals during Ganeshotsav.
Last week, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced a year-round SOP to strengthen food safety monitoring across the state. As per the SOP, enforcement activities for festivals will begin 21 days before the event.
Under the SOP, FDA officials will identify locations and food products considered vulnerable to adulteration and inspect manufacturers, mills, wholesale markets, storage facilities and other food establishments.
“If the mahaprasad has to be stopped altogether, then tell us that. But, as far as I know, we have not received any answer yet,” Dahibavkar said.
Replying to a question about a ban on sound amplification systems, popularly called DJs, Dahibavkar said it falls within the jurisdiction of the government and civic authorities.
Ganapati mandals must strictly adhere to prescribed noise limits during the forthcoming festival, he said.
“Our stand is that the provisions of the law should not be violated. If the government wants to completely ban DJs, that decision falls within its jurisdiction,” Dahibavkar said.
Referring to Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, Dahibavkar said the prescribed limit is 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night, with additional restrictions in areas around hospitals, schools and colleges.
He said the situation in Mumbai had improved over the last five to six years as the committee had repeatedly sensitised mandals about noise regulations, adding that the committee’s position from the beginning has been that the prescribed noise limit must be maintained.
The BSGSS raised concerns over the implementation of immersion-related norms, saying decisions and SOPs should be communicated to mandals sufficiently in advance.
He said the coordination committee had proposed a rotational system for immersion to reduce environmental impact.
“The system was implemented at Girgaon Chowpatty last year. The idea is that instead of the idol remaining there for 24-26 hours, it can be recycled within three to four hours, so that the environmental impact is reduced,” Dahibavkar said.
According to figures cited by him, around 72,300 eco-friendly idols of up to six feet were immersed last year, while number of POP idols was around 1.11 lakh.
The committee also appealed to Ganesh mandals to deploy adequate manpower during immersion processions, particularly in view of the large crowds.
On the height of Ganesh idols, Dahibavkar said the issue should not be considered in isolation. The government and BMC should take into account several practical aspects before framing rules, he said.
He said a decision had been taken around 2008 to restrict the height of idols to 18 feet and that the arrangement was implemented properly for about four years.
“Competition among mandals increased later and the issue became complicated. The government and the municipal corporation should consider the height of the idol and mandap, the route of the idol, electrical arrangements, traffic, safety and immersion arrangements together,” he said.
Dahibavkar said the committee’s objective was not to oppose the traditions of Ganesh mandals but to strike a balance between tradition and safety.
He also pointed out that tall idols sometimes face difficulties during transportation because of bridges, roads and other infrastructure.
He said the rules should clearly specify how the height of an idol is to be measured. In the past, some mandals had interpreted the height restriction in a manner that allowed additional structures below the idol, effectively increasing the overall height, he said.
“If an idol gets damaged because of potholes, it is not appropriate to simply blame the mandal. The entire transportation arrangement, including the trolley and supporting structures, should be examined,” Dahibavkar said. PTI KK BNM
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