DELHI: FOR 2ND YEAR, DDMA BANS CHHATH PUJA EVENTS IN PUBLIC
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday prohibited Chhath Puja celebrations in public places including at grounds, river banks and temples for the second consecutive year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chhath Puja, a three-day festival, will be celebrated between November 8-10 this year. It is most popular in states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and parts of Madhya Pradesh.
“Chhath Puja festival celebrations shall not be allowed in public places, public grounds, river banks, ghats, temples, etc in Delhi and the public is advised to celebrate the same at their homes,” said the DDMA order, a copy of which HT has seen.
The authority, however, allowed public celebration of other festivals preceding Chhath puja such as Ramlila, Durga Puja and Dussehra while subjecting organisers to certain protocols and regulations.
“Chhath celebrations involve community rituals and taking dip in a water body, which is unsafe in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic. So, we decided not to take the risk and encourage people to celebrate at their residences to avoid crowding,” said a senior DDMA official who did not wish to be identified.
Last year too, the DDMA did not allow the celebration of Chhath in public places. It also prohibited Durga Puja organisers from entertaining visitors at the venues and Ramleela organisers were asked to live-stream programmes. Dussehra rituals, which involve burning effigies, were allowed in a few locations with restriction on maximum size of crowd at each venue.
In Thursday’s order, the DDMA said that even for festivals that are allowed in public spaces, there can be no processions, rallies, food stalls, fairs, or other stalls both inside and outside the venue. Each organiser has to take permission from the office of the concerned district magistrate and police station. It also said, “No permission shall be granted by district magistrate or other authorities for conducting any event in containment zones.”