On Wednesday, Delhi High Court refused to afford permission for the Chhath puja at Geeta colony by the side of the Yamuna river because of causes of environmental pollution. Due to health issues the court pointed out that water pollutants of the Yamuna threatened the lives of devotees.
“Anything done in the Yamuna is risky.”
“Everyone who wades in or dips into the water is in grave danger because the water is highly polluted,” observed a bench headed by Chief Justice Justice Manmohan Singh and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela.
I have no issue with that,” responded Delhi government counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi, adding that toxic pollutants rendered the river unsuitable for rituals, and polluted water could cause health problems among devotees. Tripathi told the court that due to its sensitivity, the government has earmarked 1 thousand alternative locations for Chhath Puja in Delhi with all required facilities.
This ruling has come soon after the Shabnam Burney’s court order, which also raised very important points having regard to the actual levels of pollution in the Yamuna. Even that, a few of the Puja’s adhereents bathed in the Yamuna on the first day of Chhath Puja; the water has foam which seems to be toxic on the surface in places like Kalindi Kunj.
Purvanchali people who hail from some parts of North India like Uttar Pradesh Bihar Jharkhand celebrate Chhath Puja and as a voting group have political importance in Delhi. As assembly elections are not far away, the event has focussed on the polluting matters and civic consciousness.
The High Court’s ruling might be as a result of persons becoming more sensitive to the Yamuna’s rising pollution levels and also an indication of government tackling public health hazards, matters of culture in safer ways.
