BANGALORE: The city's four-lakh Bengalee population, gearing up to celebrate Durga puja, has appealed to Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) to make proper arrangements for immersion of Durga idols and cleaning during the festival.

The Bengalee Association has written to the BMP to ensure that the RBANMS ground, where the puja celebrations will be held, is cleaned properly during all the puja days. The association has sought assistance from BMP health workers during the immersion of idols. "We had a bad experience last year. We make arrangements for `prasad' and food for all devotees who participate in the celebrations on all puja days. It is difficult to dispose the garbage generated during the festival, especially on `maha sapthami,' `maha ashtami,' `maha navami' and `vijayadashami' days (from September 29 to October 2). We have urged the BMP's Health Department to ensure that the puja venue is cleaned regularly," association general secretary A.L. Roy told The Hindu on Wednesday.

He said the association wanted the civic authorities to deploy staff to help during the immersion of idols.

"All the 25 to 30 Durga idols from the city are immersed only in Ulsoor Lake. Although we will have our volunteers, the immersion process will be more organised if BMP workers are put on the job," Mr. Roy said.

He wanted the authorities to make proper security arrangements and ensure smooth movement of devotees. "The entry and exit points should be well guarded," he said.

The BMP, on its part, has started cleaning the immersion pond for the Durga puja.

Mayor Mumtaz Begum, who inspected the lake on Tuesday, has directed the jurisdictional officials to ensure that the pond is ready for immersion.

Ulsoor corporator M. Saravana said he was trying to get the lake spruced up for the celebrations. "Work on lighting and seating arrangements and jogging track has been expedited. As a large number of people visit the lake during festival time, we want to complete the work before that," he said.

According to BMP officials, over 1.84 lakh Ganesha idols were immersed at the Ulsoor Lake this year.

The immersion pond was clearly regularly once a week during the Ganesha festival. Cleaning was being expedited so that the pond was ready for Durga idol immersion.

Work was likely to be completed within two days, the officials added.

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