The City of London Corporation says it is considering “preventative action” after gatherings linked to the Ganesh Chaturthi festival left statues submerged in a Wanstead Flats lake and prompted complaints from local residents.
A report due before the Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee says “significant littering and disturbance” took place at Wanstead Flats in north east London during the 10-day Hindu festival in September. Officers said the impact was felt at Alexandra Lake and Jubilee Pond.
The Corporation, which manages Epping Forest and a number of other green spaces beyond the Square Mile as registered charities, said staff and police attended the gatherings but were outnumbered. After the festival ended, officers carried out daily clean-up operations, including removing seven statues from the lake.
What the report says
According to the report, unauthorised gatherings associated with Ganesh Chaturthi resulted in “environmental damage, littering, anti-social behaviour and the submersion of statue material within the lake”.
Officers also said that during the festival period, “numerous complaints were received from local residents relating to excessive noise, fireworks, public nuisance, fire risk and littering”.
The report adds: “This issue has grown year-on-year, particularly at the Alexander Lake [sic] site and despite some good partnership working with local authorities, police and faith leaders, the organisers remain elusive. Consideration is being given to how we can take more preventative action next year.”
Response from the Corporation
Deputy Caroline Haines, chair of the Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee, said the site should be enjoyed responsibly.
She said: “Celebrations should never come at the expense of the environment.”
Haines also said money spent on rubbish clearance could not then be used to protect the landscape. The Corporation said the charity managing the space, for which it is the sole trustee and largest funder, spends around £635,000 a year clearing dumped rubbish in the area – about 15 per cent of its budget.
Why the site matters
Wanstead Flats forms the southernmost part of Epping Forest, which stretches across the border between north east London and Essex. The forest has been managed as a public open space since the late 19th century.
Epping Forest is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation. The Corporation said this makes the impact of littering and material left in the water a concern beyond routine clean-up work.
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, an elephant-headed deity associated with prosperity, wisdom and the removal of obstacles. The festival begins on the fourth day of the month of Bhadrapada, between August and September, and lasts up to 10 days.
The committee is due to consider the report as the Corporation looks at what steps could be taken ahead of next year’s festival period.
