Bhagalpur Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to dig up a pond beside the Ganga riverbank for immersion of idols.

The move is aimed at saving the river from pollution. Deputy mayor Preety Shekhar in a recent letter to town commissioner Avinash Kumar Singh directed him to arrange for an alternative for the immersion of idols ahead of Kali puja to save the Ganga from pollution.

“Bhagalpur has two major celebrations, Durga Puja and Kali puja. A large number of idols is immersed in the Ganga on these two occasions causing high levels of pollution, particularly from the chemicals used to paint the idols,” she said.

The deputy mayor stressed the need to stop immersing idols and other puja items in the Ganga.

Town commissioner Singh on Sunday inspected the different riverbanks, including Mushari Ghat (behind Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital) where most of the idols are immersed.

“We are planning to dig up a big pond next to the Ganga riverbank at Mushari Ghat. We would fill up 7-8ft of the pond with the river water taking the help of pumps before the day of immersion,” he said.

But many apprehend that superstitions might pose an obstacle before this alternative arrangement. “We have to take the puja committees into confidence and convince them of our decision,” Singh said.

The BMC officials are planning to meet the members of the puja comm- ittees soon.

“If the members agree with our proposal, we would complete the construction of the pond before the Kali puja. People could immerse the idols in the pond. But BMC is not planning to impose any prohibition on idol immersion in the Ganga immediately,” a source from BMC said.

Last year, several social organisations and nature lovers protested when BMC started dumping garbage from the city areas on the riverbanks and directly into the river. Mayor Deepak Bhuwania, who had taken serious note of the incident, later managed to stop such illegal practices by some BMC workers. “Ganga is our pride and we should make it free of pollution,” Bhuwania said.

Dr Arun Narayan Goswami, who lives in Refugee Colony, Barari, has welcomed the BMC’s decision. “It is high time to counter the rising threats to the Ganga and for that every citizen of Bhagalpur should come forward,” he said.