Pune: Wadgaon Sheri Ward Office under the Nagar Road division has set up 24 idol collection and donation centers to facilitate an eco-friendly Ganpati Visarjan (idol immersion).

These centers are aimed at providing a convenient and environmentally responsible way for devotees to immerse Ganesh idols without causing harm to natural water bodies.

Specific immersion tanks have been designated at several locations exclusively for Shadu clay idols. These idols are traditionally made from natural clay, which dissolves easily in water and is considered eco-friendly compared to plaster of Paris idols, which can cause water pollution.

Sanjay Pol, the Assistant Commissioner of the Nagar Road Ward Office, highlighted that these initiatives are part of the administration's broader effort to promote green practices during the festival.

The centers are spread across key locations in Wadgaon Sheri, including educational institutions, public gardens, and local markets. The centers will be managed with the assistance of volunteers and local authorities to guide devotees and maintain the sanctity of the event.

Here is a complete list of the 24 centers established for Ganesh idol collection and donation:

• Babu Jagjivan Ram Municipal School, Gandhinagar, Yerawada

• Subhedar Maloji Ambedkar School, Ramwadi

• Lokmanya Tilak School, Municipal School No. 49, Ramwadi

• Anand Vidyaniketan School, Viman Nagar

• Late Babu Genu Khese School, Burma Shell

• Shri Ganesh Temple, Kalyaninagar

• Sainath Nagar Vegetable Market, Kharadi

• Late Rajaram Bhiku Pathare Stadium, Kharadi

• Ganpatrao Thite School, Thite Vasti, Kharadi

• Aaple Ghar School, Kharadi

• Multipurpose Hall, Chandan Nagar

• Chandan Nagar Vegetable Market, near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue

• Shantabai Khule School, Khulewadi

• Lonkar School, Wadgaon Sheri

• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Garden, Wadgaon Sheri

• Punyanagari Vegetable Market, Wadgaon Sheri

• Wadgaon Sheri Gaothan (New Ghat)

• Somnath Nagar School, Somnath Nagar, Wadgaon Sheri

• Bhairavnath Temple, Wagholi

• Wagheshwar Temple, Wagholi

• BJS College, Wagholi

• Ganeshnagar Garden, Wagholi

• Sant Tukaram College, Lohgaon

• Municipal School No. 126, Dadachi Padal, Lohgaon

The administration has assured adequate facilities in Wadgaon Sheri region, including security and sanitation, to manage the large turnout expected during the Visarjan days.