Ganesh Chaturthi: More than 2,300 idols to be installed in Coimbatore district; 3,700 cops to be deployed

COIMBATORE: As many as 2,353 Ganesh idols will be installed in Coimbatore district on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on Wednesday.Right-wing organisations have obtained permission from police to install the Ganesh idols in designated areas in the city and rural areas.

Police said Hindu Munnani organisation would install 295 idols, Indu Makkal Katchi would install 80 idols, Bharat Sena 51 idols, BJP 21 idols and Shiv Sena 28 idols.

The Coimbatore city police have granted permission to install 725 idols. The police instructed the organisations to deploy volunteers round the clock, and they assigned one cop per idol for protection. City police commissioner A Saravana Sundar said, "A total of 2,200 personnel, including, 200 from the Tamil Nadu Special Police and 200 from Rapid Action Force, will be deployed to ensure peaceful celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in the city.

"Assistant commissioners of police, along with their striking force equipped with riot control gear, have been patrolling the areas where idols will be installed in the city.Hindu Munnani, BJP, Indu Makkal Katchi (Tamizhagam), Bharat Sena, and other right-wing organisations will conduct Ganesh idol processions on Aug 29, with idols to be immersed in water bodies located at Singanallur, Kurichi, Kuniyamuthur and Vellakkinar.

Other organisations will immerse their idols at Muthannan Kulam on Aug 31.In the Coimbatore rural police jurisdiction, permission has been granted to install 1,628 Ganesh idols. A total of 1,528 police personnel will be deployed for security. The installed idols will be immersed on Aug 27, 29 and 30 in water bodies in Mettupalayam, Pollachi, Valparai and Sultan Pettai.In the Nilgiris district, collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru appealed to the public to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in a manner that won’t harm the environment.

Immersion of idols will be permitted only in the designated spots notified by the district administration. Organisers should follow the guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Board for idol immersion. According to a press release from Lakshmi, only idols made from natural, biodegradable, and eco-friendly materials will be permitted for safe immersion in water bodies. TNEB officials will conduct a field inspection along the routes where the idols are taken for immersion. Police will manage traffic during the idol immersion procession.