Ganesh pandal organisers in the twin cities rejected outright the state government’s suggestion to restrict the height of idols and told the government not to interfere in religious matters. The organisers and representatives of Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samiti, including former MLA Baddam Bal Reddy, also demanded that a Writ Petition filed in the High Court against immersion of idols in water bodies should be immediately withdrawn.
The organisers vented their ire during a high-level meeting called by chief secretary Minnie Mathew here on Tuesday. The meeting was organised following the directions of the High Court to find long-term solutions to Ganesh idol immersion, in consultation with all the stakeholders. Significantly, the media was denied entry to the meeting. “The government ignored me too and barred me from entering even though I am the petitioner in the court,” said M Venumadhav, a practicing advocate in the High Court.
He, was, however, allowed entry later when he threatened to bring his ‘barring’ to the notice of the court. Sources said the chief secretary suggested that the organisers could consider restricting the height of idols and use clay instead of cement and Plaster of Paris, and natural instead of chemical colours. She also suggested that organisers and NGOs should get involved in the cleaning up of water bodies during and after immersion along the lines of Ayyappa Seva Samiti volunteers who render their services at in Sabarimala in Kerala.
The chief secretary assured the meeting that a committee with stakeholders will be constituted, to come up with medium and long-term measures relating to immersion immediately after the event was over.