Capital Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday said her government will develop 17 model Chhath Ghats along the banks of Yamuna across Delhi and withdraw all cases registered against devotees celebrating the festival on the banks of the river.
Addressing a press conference, the Chief Minister said that his government’s aim is to ensure that Chhath Puja is celebrated in Delhi with the same grandeur as Diwali.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that for years, the government had banned Chhath Puja on the Yamuna river. The government was not organizing the puja. This time, after our government came, we have removed that restriction and we are providing all arrangements. Model Chhath Ghats are being constructed by the government at 17 places on the banks of river Yamuna. This year, the number of Chhath puja places in the city is expected to increase significantly compared to previous years.
Rekha Gupta said that last year, Chhath programs were organized at only 929 places. But till date, we have received more than 1000 applications from committees to celebrate Chhath Puja. Apart from the 17 ghats we are building on the Yamuna River, the government will provide all necessary arrangements for all these 1000 ghats, or any number of ghats that come up by the deadline. This includes tents, electricity, sanitation and toilets. At least one model Chhath Ghat will be built in every district and sub-district. Grand welcome gates will be built all over Delhi for Chhath fasts. They will be welcomed by showering flowers on them. Keeping in mind the religious atmosphere, cultural programs will also be organized in Bhojpuri and Maithili languages.
He said that the government is making every possible effort to ensure that our devotees stand in clean water and offer prayers. The government is working to ensure that all the events of this festival are conducted without any hindrance. A special cleanliness campaign is starting from today, in which all our public representatives – MPs, MLAs and Councilors, will visit all the ghats in their respective areas where Chhath Puja is to be held and run a special cleanliness campaign.
Gupta further said that in 2021, the government filed an FIR against some people who went to celebrate Chhath on the Yamuna river under section 188 IPC for public disobedience. By applying that section, an FIR was registered against him. Whatever FIRs or cases were filed by the previous governments, we will withdraw all those complaints under our government, and we will withdraw all those cases. On air quality in the national capital, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta says, “We all have seen the data. If we compare the day-after-Diwali data (AQI) with previous governments, the numbers have come down. Although bursting of firecrackers was allowed, the difference (AQI) between Diwali and next-day dates has reduced, indicating a reduction in pollution. The government is doing whatever is possible for Delhi.”