Research on about 200 gapanati in Mumbai showing various irregularities in the festival- 2006
Dr. J. A. Sathe G/1 Deepak,
Ph.D.(Interior Design) (California) 12, K.N.Marg, Gamdevi
Ph.D.(Psychology) (Mumbai) Mumbai 400007, India.
Ex.Special Executive Magistrate Tel: +91-022-23803754
Member National Executive Committee Email: jsathe@vsnl.com
All India Human Rights Commission and Civic Option
Extracts of our research after visiting about 200 gapanati in Mumbai showing various irregularities in the festival at the administrative level and at the festival organizational level with failure of administration to take appropriate care in spite of early warning in October 2005 till 24th Jul 2006 (being the last letter to Municipal and Police Commissioner)
We feel this situation can be improved if we take a positive approach to the problem instead of neglecting it. Hence this paper.
1. We have noticed the flaws in the municipal permissions granted by various wards for this festival e.g. 1/3 of the road width is required to be kept open. But whereas the permission has been granted for the construction of Mandap for the full width of the road like (30’x 20’x20′). Therefore in many cases the onus lies on the Corporation and not on the Mandals for this breach. Therefore we feel the permission needs to be redrafted keeping the legal view in mind.
2. In many cases loud speaker permissions were not granted by the respective police stations yet the loud speakers were playing at their full volumes through out the day and in the night may be till 10.00 p.m.
3. In many cases the permission was not granted like folkland road 2&3 while the mandap was decorated covering the entire road width of 10′-0″ with no chance for even any pedestrian movements.
4. In many cases the roads are not more than 20′-0″ in width (ranging from 5′-0″ to 20′-0″) effectively with Mandap blocking one end /middle of the road. Parking of the vehicles/scooters on one and or both sides of the road reducing the carriage way to hardly less than 10′-0′ would made even any fire engine to access the spot in case of emergency. The entire area of the Mandap and that of the surrounding is fully electrified with a chance of short circuit any time. This needs urgent consideration and revision of the municipal rules if need be.
5. The sides of the mandap facing the buildings on two sides blocks the entire area of the buildings leaving no sufficient space for pedestrian walk ( not even 3′-0″). Even the residents staying with this area of mandap length with height of 20/25 feet in some cases faces the problem of light, air and ventilation with constant banging of the loud speaker noise creating para medical problems.- Therefore a due consideration will have to be given for designing of this situations. In the larger public interest as the safety collectively and individually should be the first criteria in granting such
permissions. No fire extinguisher was seen at any place in any pendal as most of the material used was fire hazardous.
6. Even on 30′-0″ wide roads due to double parking on both sides of the road a fire engine in emergency cannot access the localized spot and therefore this needs revision in your condition in letter for permission.
7. Due to enclosed pendals there is lot of suffocation within the enclosed space particularly in the rush hours with 20/30 people inside the mandap viewing their loving Lord. There is no air and ventilation in this area and therefore your office will have to consider redesigning of these pendals while granting the permissions.
8. It will well known fact that many Mandals had a paid lines for darshana and the money is collected through one of such way in addition to collection through donation and through advertisement to run the festival.
9. Road entrance in many cases are blocked with some scenery or by erecting bamboo paranchi with advertisement thereon, literally dividing the road length making it impossible for fire engine or even for volunteers to rush to the spot in case of mishap for help .
10. In short with the lack of supervision on the part of authorities including the local municipal councillors few interested parties have very good time under the name of religious festivals.
11. Roads are our open spaces and can not be used for such functions. We have many maidans/playgrounds in every locality which area can be used for such religious functions as it is performed once in a year like in case of Borivali(e) the many building in the locality has only one idol (“one village one ganapati”) which builds more unity and closer friendly relations. In case filed by August kranti Maidan Bachav Samiti of which I was a member. H.H.Justice Lantin in the year 1995 had given a judgement that all playgrounds/maidan can not be used for the commercial activities but can be used only for the religious activities having no association of commercial activities only for one month during the year. Hence this playgrounds can be booked for 12 days in a year for such activities sparing another 18 days for other religious functions. This court judgement can be verified. Subsequently the MRTP Act has been amended providing this clause in section 37A on page no. 21
12. Roads are dig to insert bamboos for decoration which are again filled by the Corporation after such festivals are over , wasting public money.
13. Heights of the idol should be restricted to human height so that at the time of immersion the same dignity and respect can be maintain as in many cases it is observed that the immersed idol comes back to shore with low tide and to break the plaser of paris used for the idol need to be physically broken, as this material is not dissolvable in water, creating many hazards to marine life and surrounding environment at sea level.
14. If some ganapati mandals want they can raised the height of the idols through decoration using platforms of various heights with scenery as now done in Pune by various Mandals.
15. Various photos of irregularities are in private domain can be accessed with permission from Dr J. A. Sathe with a request through email sathej2003@yahoo.co.in
This paper was sent to the Municipal Commissioner for necessary action and subsequently I was called in their meeting at Dadar Ward Office where all the ward officers, Police , BES&T, MHADA officers were present along with the office bearers of Ganpati Utsav Organisation for City and Suburbs were present for 2006 Ganapati festival. This paper was discussed in detail but no action was taken rather people were reluctant to act on this matter for the reasons best known to them. The views of the Office bearers of the Ganpati Utsav Samiti was that this will put an end to the Hindu festival in Mumbai which is wrong as I am not against festival but for such activities on public road. There is no opposition for such activities if performed within the wadi in the enclosed area of the compound/building causing minimal nuisance to other persons in the same locality with proper decorum and in a dignified way. But why place the God on public road and one enjoys his residence in a comfortable house. Ultimately no decision was taken in this meeting on this paper though most of them agreed in private conversation except the office bearers of the Festival Committee that what is happening is wrong on the public roads.
Dr. J. A. Sathe
Email- jsathe@vsnl.com