GANESH FESTIVAL: 508 tonnes of floral offerings collected in post-immersion drive

Mumbai, Sep 8: The Mumbai civic body has collected 508 tonnes of 'nirmalya' (floral offerings) from natural water bodies and more than 290 artificial ponds following the immersion of idols of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Gauri, officials said.

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' wife Amruta Fadnavis, and civic chief Bhushan Gagrani joined the special cleanliness drive at the famous Juhu beach here on Sunday after the conclusion of the 11-day Ganpati festival.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in a release on Sunday said it had promoted the use of artificial ponds for idol immersions, and city residents responded positively to the awareness campaigns, opting in greater numbers for eco-friendly immersion.