With excessive silting in the Tapi bed probably the real cause for the floating of the idols the incident could be repeated this year too with the Ganesh Utsav Samiti and the city police yet to reach any agreement over the size of idols. The samiti has been co-ordinating the installation and immersion of idols in the past few years.

While the police have instructed the Samiti to ensure that all idols to be immersed were less than six feet in height, samiti office-bearers maintained that convincing the same to the devotees would not be possible.

Samiti member Punesh Modi said, ``It took us 10 years to convince the people to bring down the size of the idols to 11 feet. But bringing it down to six feet might not be possible.''

The samiti had been doing its best to explain to the people that the city didn't have enough water to immerse large-sized idols, Modi said, adding that people should be allowed to immerse idols at least as high as nine feet.

``We are also trying to convince them that it will be better for them to install and immerse smaller idols and keep the Ganeshotsav spirit alive than face the bad omen of idols floating,'' Modi said.

The Samiti has, however, agreed of immersing idols taller than six feet in the sea off Dumas and Magdalla instead of Nanpura, Chowk and Rander areas bordering the Tapi.

While 5000 permits were issued by the samiti last year, about 7000 idols were immersed in the Tapi. But this year no extra permits than the 5000 decided will be issued, samiti office-bearers stated. These permits are exclusive of the personal idols installed by devotees, which are also taken out for immersion on the 10th day of installation.

Meanwhile, with barely two months left for Ganeshotsav -- the idols will be installed on September 13 (Ganesh Chaturti) and immersed on September 24 (Anand Chaudash) -- the samiti has already begun issuing permits to various groups who wished to install idols and take them out for immersion in a procession.

The Samiti has also appealed to the people to refrain from overspending on the festivities with elaborate lighting, pandals and blaring music. ``The festival was supposed to evoke nationalism and patriotism. So we are telling people to be thrifty and donate money instead for the aid of the soldiers on the borders,'' samiti office-bearers said.

Meanwhile, a couple of more meetings between the Samiti and the police are expected to ensure that the festivities go on without any untoward incidents.