MUMBAI: In a bid to prevent deaths of thousands of fish at the historic Banganga Tank in Walkeshwar, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday decided to double the number of artificial ponds provided for Pitru Paksha rituals and increase the water-pumping capacity at the site

Published on: Oct 6, 2026, 07:53:00 IST

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MUMBAI: In a bid to prevent deaths of thousands of fish at the historic Banganga Tank in Walkeshwar, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday decided to double the number of artificial ponds provided for Pitru Paksha rituals and increase the water-pumping capacity at the site.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of civic officials, local residents and priests who conduct rituals at Banganga. The meeting, chaired by D ward assistant municipal commissioner Santosh Salunkhe at the D ward office, was held after thousands of fish died in the tank following Pitru Paksha rituals on Saturday during which devotees immersed oil, food and floral offerings in the water.

The number of artificial ponds available for the rituals will be increased from five to 10, with the BMC considering adding more depending on demand. The civic body will also increase the number of pumps from the existing four to improve water circulation and aeration.

Water samples from the tank have been collected and sent for testing to assess the water quality and establish the factors behind the fish deaths. The BMC will decide on further measures after receiving the test results.

The civic body is also exploring the use of drums for conducting rituals and collecting ritual material, although officials said the response to the drums currently available at the site had been poor.

The artificial ponds are intended to allow devotees to perform rituals involving water without putting food, flour and other material into the heritage tank. Priests attending Monday’s meeting agreed to take responsibility for urging devotees not to immerse ritual material in Banganga.

Residents, however, renewed their demand that access to the tank be restricted during Pitru Paksha, arguing that the recurring fish deaths showed that existing measures were inadequate.

Salunkhe said completely shutting the tank was not a practical option. “Taking a holy bath is also part of the ritual. Moreover, the ASI will not permit us to nail barricades around the tank,” he said.

The Banganga complex was shut during Ganesh Chaturthi this year, but civic officials said the arrangement could not simply be replicated for Pitru Paksha. The closure during Ganeshotsav was made in the backdrop of a High Court order, they said. Restricting access only to the tank while keeping the rest of the complex open would also pose practical difficulties.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which regulates the heritage structure, has indicated that it is open to measures proposed by the BMC, officials said.

Sanjay Shirke, a Walkeshwar resident who has filed a public interest litigation seeking measures to protect the historic tank, said ritual material entering the water remained a longstanding problem. “During pind daan, people use flour as part of the rituals and immerse it in the water. This has been an issue for a long time,” he said.

Shirke said restricting access to the tank during the ritual period was the only effective solution. “We have been demanding that it be completely shut, as it was during Ganesh Chaturthi. Otherwise, there is no way out,” he said.

The BMC will also step up cleaning and aeration measures at the tank. Officials said increasing pumping capacity would improve water circulation and oxygen levels, which could help reduce stress on aquatic life.

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