Ganesh Utsav Celebration: The
Mumbai civic agency Wednesday announced a scheme to provide insurance
and medical assistance to participants in next month's 11-day
Ganeshotsav festival, an official said here.
Mayor Sunil Prabhu said that any participant injured during the Ganesh festivities would be provided free medical treatment up to Rs.15,000 in any civic hospital.
However, in case of fatalities during the Ganesha festival, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation would give a compensation of Rs.150,000 to the family of the victim, he said.
The decision follows an appeal last month by Prabhu to Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte seeking insurance cover for the millions of participants who throng the 'Dahi-Handi' and Ganesh Utsav celebrations in Mumbai.
Prabhu urged Kunte to consider the proposal on "humanitarian ground" in view of the disasters that could take place during the two festivals.
While 'Dahi-Handi' falls this Friday (Aug 10), this year's 11-day Ganesh Utsav will start Sep 19, attracting millions of people besides domestic and foreign tourists.
During these festivals, there is a risk of
casualties or accidents involving revelers and volunteers which can
leave maimed.
'Dahi-Handi' is celebrated with tall human pyramids of boys and girls, and Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi sees participation of lakhs of youth, civil and police officials, especially during the celebrations and the Ganesha idol immersion ceremonies or Ganesh visarjan on the fifth, seventh and 11th day.
'Dahi-Handi' is celebrated with tall human pyramids of boys and girls, and Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi sees participation of lakhs of youth, civil and police officials, especially during the celebrations and the Ganesha idol immersion ceremonies or Ganesh visarjan on the fifth, seventh and 11th day.
The 'Dahi-Handi' also attracts some international groups besides locals who vie with one another to build the tallest human pyramids and bag the prizes worth crores of rupees each year.
Last year, the celebrations left over 200 injured, including some seriously, and there were two fatalities in 2010.
For Ganesh Utsav, individual trusts and organisations provide heavy insurance cover to idols of the elephant-headed god, Lord Ganesh.
However, barring a few trusts, there is little or no insurance cover provided to millions of devotees and lakhs of volunteers during the Ganesh Chaturhti festival.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2012: This year Vinayak Chaturthi falls on 19th September & Ananta Chaturdashi falls on 29th September, 2012.
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(Content Courtesy:
IANS)
(Images courtesy: ganeshaband Facebook Page)
(Images courtesy: ganeshaband Facebook Page)
