M umbai: In a first, BMC has barricaded the area around Banganga Tank in Walkeshwar for the remaining two days of Pitru Paksh this year, following concerns over the death of a large number of fish in the historic water body after the Pitru Paksh began.
In the past, such barricading has been carried out during Ganpati,” Salunke said. Every year, Pitru Paksha draws large numbers of devotees to Banganga to perform ancestral rites, including offerings and prayers. However, the influx of visitors and ritual offerings has posed a recurring challenge for authorities seeking to preserve the tank’s religious significance while protecting its aquatic ecosystem. Saturday is the last day of Pitru Paksh; Navratri starts this Sunday. “This is the first time barricading has been done during Pitru Paksh, given the concerns raised over the death of a large number of fish.
Santosh Salunke, assistant municipal commissioner of the BMC’s D ward, said the barricading was carried out on Friday and would be removed after the Pitru Paksha period ends.
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We who live here do not want the tank to be ruined in any way and are happy that it has been barricaded,” said local resident Sanjay Shirke. He said protecting Banganga’s heritage and aquatic ecosystem would require cooperation between the civic administration and citizens. Local residents have welcomed the move, saying the impact of religious activities on the tank’s water quality has been a growing concern. “Most of those who visit the tank are not locals but come from faraway places. They do not seem concerned about the impact on water quality. Lodha also has appealed to visitors to observe religious traditions without compromising the water body’s ecology and urged them to ensure ritual offerings and other waste do not enter the tank. Banganga Tank, located at Walkeshwar on Malabar Hill, is a historic sacred water body associated with the legend of Lord Ram. Its surrounding temples and sacred waters make it an important site for religious observances, particularly during Pitru Paksh. Download the TOI App.
Earlier this week, cabinet minister and local MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha inspected the tank following the fish deaths.