As the occasion of Chhath Puja approaches, the Delhi Government has started preparations to make sure the festival is celebrated without any inconvenience.
Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced that the AAP Government would spend Rs Rs 25 crore on 1100 chhath puja ghats for the festival, a festival popular largely among people purvanchali. Chhath puja celebrations would be held on October 30 and 31.
Reacting on the Kejriwal’s announcement, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri has asked the AAP Government to provide a list of 1100 ghats in the national Capital. Citing a case of Badarpur, Bidhuri said that around 100 colonies are in his constituency where only 23 temporary ghats are available for Chhath puja. Bidhuri further said that its revenue department responsibilies to provide basic amenities and connect it to public transport for Chhath.
"For the last two years, the festivities were affected by the pandemic," Kejriwal said while addressing a digital press conference. The Delhi chief minister also urged people to wear masks and observe all safety protocols while celebrating.
Kejriwal said Chhath would be celebrated on a grand scale after people were stuck at home for two years due to COVID-19. “Before we came to power, Chhath was a mere formality for the government. In 2014, there were barely 69 sites where Chhath was celebrated here in Delhi.
The government back then spent a mere 2.5 crores on it,” said Kejriwal. “But, now, we will celebrate Chhath at a very large scale across 1,100 sites in Delhi. The Delhi Government will be bearing all the costs of this celebration, we have earmarked a budget of 25 crores for this purpose.
We know how people were desperate to worship Chhathi Maiyya with their community for the last two years. We have taken care of their emotions and made some special preparations to add to the celebrations,” said Kejriwal.
“Among our core responsibilities, we have prioritised safety and security of every citizen. To make this possible, we will be raking in the help of Delhi Police and installing CCTVs all around our Chhath Ghats. Besides this, like usual, we will be arranging for drinking water, sanitation, toilets, ambulances, first-aid, tents, furniture, sound systems, lighting, LED screens, among others,” said Kejriwal. “Even though Delhi enjoys a 24x7 power supply, we will be arranging for power backup at all sites to ensure there’s not a single hiccup in the festivities due to any fault or error,” said Kejriwal.
“I take this moment to extend my advance greetings for Diwali, Chhath and all other festivals to the citizens of the country. I pray to Chhati Maiyya to bless us all. I appeal to all the citizens as well to not just seek blessings for their own selves and their families this time, but also keep the nation and the society in your prayers,” said Kejriwal.
“At the same time please remember that even though the intensity of COVID-spread has decreased and fines have been withdrawn, COVID is still out there, please wear a mask when you set out to celebrate.
Our health is our own responsibility as well. We must all ensure that we don’t fall sick due to any oversight,” Kejriwal added.