The number of Ganesh idol Immersions in artificial ponds increased slightly this year. The number of sarvajanik idol immersions after one and a half days also rose by 20 per cent, despite the number of permissions given for the same being reduced this year. Meanwhile, the overall immersion figures slid a bit, which could be because many have been opting for immersions at home and metal idols.

Started in 2008, the number of artificial ponds grew from merely two to 204 in the last 17 years. As the availability of ponds and awareness increased with time, the response to environmentally friendly immersions also got better. This year, more than 45 per cent of the total immersions took place in BMC-made artificial ponds across the city. Out of 66,339 Ganesh immersions after one and a half days, 30,241 idols were immersed in man-made ponds.