KMC plans to store large Ganesh idols to conserve water amid El Niño conditions
The Kurnool Municipal Corporation is urging residents to store large Ganesh idols for future use rather than immersing them due to severe water shortages caused by El Niño. Officials are providing designated storage sites to conserve the city's limited drinking water supply.
Why it matters
This reflects the growing impact of climate-driven water scarcity on traditional religious and cultural practices in urban India.
The Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC) has identified five locations for storing large Ganesh idols after the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, until they are taken for immersion during next year’s celebrations. This decision is due to the non-availability of water in water bodies to immerse the large idols, which is a result of scanty rainfall caused by El Niño conditions.
At a meeting held on Saturday (September 5, 2026), Minister of Industries and Commerce T.G. Bharath Gupta, KMC Commissioner Challa Obulesu and irrigation officials reviewed the situation and decided that space should be provided for the organisers to secure large sized idols that were already ordered and brought to the city for installation and immerse them during the next year festivities.
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