THE City of London Corporation is considering “preventative action” after gatherings associated with a major Hindu festival caused disruption and left statues submerged in a lake.
“Significant littering and disturbance” occurred at Wanstead Flats in northeast London during Ganesh Chaturthi, a 10-day festival held in September, the corporation said.
People should enjoy the site, but must do so “responsibly”, said deputy Caroline Haines, chair of the corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee.
“Every pound spent clearing up rubbish is money that cannot be spent protecting this internationally important landscape.”
The corporation manages several green spaces beyond the Square Mile as registered charities, including Epping Forest. Wanstead Flats lies at its southernmost point.
The forest, which straddles the border between northeast London and Essex, has been managed as a public open space since the late 19th century.
In a report due to be presented to the Epping Forest and Commons Committee, officers highlighted the impact of unauthorised gatherings associated with Ganesh Chaturthi at Alexandra Lake and Jubilee Pond.
The festival, celebrated between August and September, lasts up to 10 days.
Officers said the gatherings had resulted in “environmental damage, littering, anti-social behaviour and the submersion of statue material within the lake”.
They continued to note that during the festival period, “numerous complaints were received from local residents relating to excessive noise, fireworks, public nuisance, fire risk and littering”.
Epping Forest staff and the police attended, but were outnumbered, with officers having to undertake daily clean-up operations following the festival’s end. This included the removal of seven statues from the lake.
“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.”
Epping Forest is a site of special scientific interest and a special area of conservation.
It is understood the charity managing the space, for which the corporation is the sole trustee and largest funder, spends around £635,000 a year on clearing rubbish dumped in the area, equivalent to 15 per cent of its budget.
Haines said: “Celebrations should never come at the expense of the environment.
“We want people to enjoy the Forest, but they must do so responsibly and leave this special place exactly as they found it.”
(Local Democracy Reporting Service)
