With few days to go for Chhath Puja, Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) is conducting regular cleanliness drive to clean all the 40 ponds listed under RMC. A cleanliness drive for the dams and lakes of the city, considering the Chhath Puja, was kicked off immediately after the Durga Puja. The campaign which began from Kanke Dam and was further extended to other water bodies of the city.
On Thursday, Deputy Mayor with other officials of RMC visited Ranchi lake, Kanke Dam and Argora Talab to inspect the condition of ponds, as on the occasion of Chhath puja these sites witness huge crowd ever year. Officials present at the site interacted with the people.
Citing details about the cleanliness drive being conducted in the city for the auspicious occasion of Chhath Puja, Deputy Mayor Sanjiv Vijaywargia said, “Over 200 workers are involved in cleaning ponds and we will also take the help of divers if required. Three JCB machines are used for cleanliness purpose. We are also consulting various ward councillors regarding the cleanliness purpose.”
Though RMC had cleaned every pond after the Durga Puja immersions, most of them appeared garbage strewn now. With Kali Puja immersions slated after Diwali, RMC authorities will be left with a little time to further clean all the water bodies.
“We will increase the number of labourers and will conduct massive cleanliness drive for three days in and around the ponds, ones the Diwali festival gets over,” Vijaywargia further added.
There are few ponds in specific areas which witness heavy rush during the Chhath Puja. Argora Talab is used by residents of Argora, Ashok Nagar and Harmu during Chhath Puja. The state capital has nearly 40 ponds where devotees offer prayers. Almost all ponds are properly cleaned every year to help devotees’ complete rituals without any glitches. However, there are few people in the city who prepares artificial pond for the purpose of Chhath puja.
“We have prepared one artificial pond inside the premises of temple for the purpose of Chhath Puja. The purpose is to avoid heavy rush during the Chhath Puja. The community members maintain the pond. Since only colony people are allotted ghats during Puja, it becomes easy for us to keep it hygienic and clean,” informed Sanjay Mukhiya, resident of Ashok Nagar.
The heaviest rush is witnessed at Ranchi lake, Argora Talab, Hatania Talab and Batan Talab during the Chhath puja. Approximately, two lakh devotees offer prayers over two days at these ponds.