Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday joined devotees celebrating Chhath Puja in East Kidwai Nagar, Delhi and also had a meet-and-greet with people.
The Delhi government has set up at least 800 ghats across the national capital region for devotees. This includes tents, lighting and provisions for drinking water arrangements for the devotees.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority had earlier banned Chhath Puja celebrations on the banks of the Yamuna in view of the pandemic and mass gatherings, but they seem to have taken a more ‘measured’ approach now.
On Tuesday, the government had deployed 15 boats in the polluted Yamuna river, to remove toxic froth at the Kalindi Kunj banks. Bamboo structures were also installed and water sprayed from tankers on Wednesday to dissipate the foam. A Delhi Jal Board official said water sprinklers we being used to dissipate the froth as ‘no other short-term measure would work’
A number of devotees had gathered at the Yamuna Ghat in Kalindi Kunj, downstream of the Okhla Barrage, but were dispersed by the police, in keeping with the restrictions.
The four-day-long festival of Chhath Puja is mainly celebrated by ‘Purvanchalis’ from Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand settled in Delhi. Chhath devotees perform elaborate rituals by offering ‘Arghya’ to the sun and observing a fast over the four-day period.
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