Housing society to set ablaze '2016' dressed in old notes

MUMBAI: A housing society in Thane has devised a creative way to bid farewell to the

Old Year 2016

. Residents will set ablaze an effigy wearing demonetised notes around its neck at their New Year celebration on Saturday.

Ganesh Bhuvan society in Hans Nagar has crafted a hay model of a youth smartly turned out in glares, Elvis sideburns, goatee beard and curly wig. It is seated upon a swing suspended from the building facade. "We have garlanded it with play money of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination. The aim is to show the most important event of 2016. We are not taking sides in the political controversy," said

Rajendra Rane

who made the sculpture along with his neighbour Madhu Jambhalkar.

Another resident

Manoj Vajpayee

said, "From 7pm onward, we will play a medley of popular songs written about money like Paisa yeh paisa, Yeh paisa bolta hai and a Marwari song that goes '500-1,000 ke note band kara diye." The song has a line about PM Narendra Modi which residents have beeped out "for safety's sake". -