Low tide delays immersion at Hooghly ghat

KOLKATA: Low tide in the Hooghly on Friday evening made it difficult for organizers of top-draw Durga Pujas, who participated in the Red Road carnival, to immerse their idols smoothly.
Of the 72 pujas that made it to the carnival list, Ekdalia Evergreen became the first to reach Babughat, which was decked up exclusively for big-budget pujas, for immersion. Bhowanipore Aikyatan and Ballygunge Cultural Association reached Babughat just when the trained porters were struggling to get the huge Ekdalia Durga idol (28ft) immersed because of low tide.Aikyatan and Ballygunge Cultural organizers had to wait for an hour to call their porters to get ready for immersion.

According to Swapan Mahapatra, one of the members of Ekdalia Evergreen Durga Puja committee, the club had roped in 60 porters to ensure a smooth immersion. “Even the porters were struggling as they did not find enough water for smooth immersion. It took much time for them to finish immersion,” Mahapatra said.
By 7pm, as many as 10 organizers lined up in front of Babughat entrance on Strand Road. A member of the organizing committee of Bhowanipore Aikyatan, who waited patiently for an hour, expressed fear that competition among the award-winning committees might disrupt the immersion proceedings. In fact, a group of members of Ballygunge Cultural Puja committee was seen competing with Ekdalia in the immersion of smaller idols.
According to a KMC parks department official, things got better after high tide arrived around 9pm. However, he feared that the initial delay could stretch the immersion process till Saturday dawn. “Majority of the award-winning pujas will come to Babughat for immersion. I assume that we may have to keep our manpower ready till dawn,” the civic official said. According to an estimate till 7.30pm, every committee was taking 45 minutes for completing the immersion process.
However, a near-chaotic situation was prevented as Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Kolkata Police kept a strict vigil. Around 500 policemen and as many civic officials were deployed for 72 Puja committees who participated in the carnival.