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The Delhi High Court has issued a directive banning Chhath Puja celebrations at Yamuna river banks, citing severe pollution and health hazards. Devotees are encouraged to use over 1,000 artificial ghats set up across Delhi.
Devotees are urged to perform Chhath Puja at artificial ghats in Delhi amidst a High Court ban on Yamuna ghats.
(PTI photo)
New Delhi: In a directive issued on Wednesday, the Delhi High Court said that devotees should not be allowed to perform Chhath Puja at the Yamuna river bank in Geeta Colony. The HC expressed its concern over the high level of toxins in the river and highlighted that taking a dip in the river can affect people’s health.
The HC bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said, “It will be very harmful to you. The fact is that the river is so polluted that if you dip into it, there is the likelihood that…… person will suffer harm. We can’t allow that. The river itself is highly polluted.”
No Chhath Puja at Yamuna ghats?
Santosh Kumar Tripathi, counsel of the Delhi government, told the HC that the holy Yamuna River is highly polluted at present. He added that if the devotees were allowed to perform the puja on the river bank, there are high chances that they may fall sick, Live Law reported. Tripathi added that to facilitate Chhath Puja for devotees, the Delhi government has built over 1,000 artificial ghats to perform the puja and has made ample arrangements for the same.
The Delhi High Court rejected the plea to allow Chhath Puja at Yamuna bank and highlighted its recent order in Shabnam Burney case, in which a judicial notice was taken over the high levels of pollutants in the Yamuna River.
Chhath Puja in Delhi: Devotees take a dip in Yamuna
On the first day of Chhath Puja yesterday, several devotees took a dip in the Yamuna River despite thick layers of toxic foam covering the river surface. This happened even after the Delhi government built over 1,000 Chhath Puja ghats across the city. Delhi CM Atishi said that the AAP government has built over 1,000 Chhath Puja ghats across Delhi so that no devotee has to travel over 1-2 km from their home for worship.
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