Agra. In a bid to keep the Yamuna River clean after the Ganpati celebrations, the Agra Municipal Corporation has introduced special provisions for the immersion of Ganesh idols. Devotees will no longer be allowed to submerge idols directly into the river; instead, four provisional immersion tanks have been prepared at key ghats across the city.

The selected locations are Hathighat, Kailash Ghat, Balkeshwar Ghat, and Dussehra Ghat. Each tank will be filled with water drawn from the Ganga via the Palda pipeline, rather than using Yamuna water, ensuring a cleaner alternative for the ritual.

This arrangement aligns with the guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which aim to curb river pollution caused by idol immersion. The corporation hopes to protect the Yamuna while still offering worshippers a convenient and safe venue for their rites.

Safety barricades have been erected around every immersion site, and municipal staff will be stationed to guide devotees and supervise the process throughout the ceremony.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Shishir Kumar, accompanied by Assistant Municipal Commissioner Ashok Priya Gautam, inspected the setup at Hathighat. During the visit, they instructed Zonal Sanitary Officer (ZSO) Ashutosh Verma to ensure an adequate number of personnel are present at the ghats during immersion.

Assistant Municipal Commissioner Ashok Priya Gautam emphasized that the temporary ponds meet NGT specifications and appealed to devotees to use only the designated sites. A dedicated municipal team will remain on‑site to monitor the immersion, guaranteeing that the ritual proceeds safely and orderly.