Hyderabad: Ganesh Navratri festival will begin on August 31 and the festival will culminate in the immersion of Ganesh idols in Hussainsagar here on September 9, Animal Husbandry Minister Talsani Srinivas Yadav said. He assured the devotees that the Telangana government will make elaborate arrangements for the peaceful conduct of religious activities throughout the festival.

Earlier, the representatives of Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samiti held a meeting with the state ministers T Srinivas Yadav and Mahmood Ali and Hyderabad Mayor Vijayalaxmi.

“The State government will make all the arrangements for the smooth idol immersion in Hussainsagar and other water bodies across the city. The devotees and the pandal organisers are free to celebrate the Ganesh festival in a befitting manner. There will be no obstacles from the government during the festival as it is a friendly government,” Srinivas Yadav said.

He also said the state government will distribute 6 lakh eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols to the devotees in the state capital. The state minister informed that he would visit Khairatabad Ganesh Mandapam on August 24 to review the arrangements for the upcoming festival.

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Assuring the devotees that departments like GHMC, PCB and HMDA will coordinate with each other in the peaceful conduct of Ganesh Navratri, Talasani Srinivas added that 50 more water bodies will be constructed in addition to the existing 25 water bodies ponds located in different parts of Hyderabad for immersion of idols. He also said around 8,000 GHMC staff will work in three shifts during the Ganesh festival.