Filth floats in the Godavari and ‘holy’ Ramkund pond

Nashik: After Ganesh immersion, River Godavari is still to recover. Ramkund, the epicentre of rituals and a holy pond for Hindus, has nirmalya (flowers and offerings made to the idol) and other waste floating on it for the past two days. Residents of the city and activists have been fuming at the negligence of the civic administration.
Rajashree Purohit, a devotee, said, “We did not feel like dipping even our feet in the holy pond.It was so dirty.”
Aniket Joshi, a local pilgrim, said the civic administration should keep at least Ramkund clean throughout the year as it is a holy pond. He also blamed pilgrims and local people who toss nirmalya and other waste into Ramkund and the entire river thoughtlessly.
“When there were security guards of Nashik District Security Guards Board, the condition was better. We called up civic officials yesterday and sanitary workers cleaned the pond. But after that, it was soon back to the same condition,” said local resident and petitioner in the River Godavari pollution case, Devang Jani.
There were 95 security guards of Nashik District Security Guards Board posted by the banks of River Godavari from Ahilyabai Holkar Bridge to Tapovan, who kept strict vigil on polluters. On June 1, Nashik Municipal Corporation asked the Board to remove the guards from the spot as their contract ended.
Jani said, “Bombay high court had told NMC if the water is not purified then it would be NMC’s fault, and NMC should make the necessary provision. But it is one and a half years now and nothing has been done. The former civic chief had given in writing that for keeping the river clean there would be security guards, fine on polluters and Godavari Conservation Cell for monitoring river pollution. But the cell was closed long back. We want NMC to implement high court orders.”
He said that merely a whistle by the security guards earlier used to make people cautious. A fine would also be imposed on those found polluting the river, and these measures had served as deterrents. At present, NMC has deployed its own security guards – there are only a few guards on duty, and they are concentrated in the core area of the river at Panchavati, he said.
“We have posted 15 guards in Ramkund area till Gadge Maharaj Bridge. They are keeping a watch on people and preventing them from littering. If there are any complaints, we will get the river cleaned immediately,” an NMC officer told TOI.