The Delhi BJP’s years’ old promise of declaring Chhath Puja as a public holiday is finally going to be fulfilled. According to sources, a formal announcement in this regard will be made on Tuesday. The declaration, which was strongly taken up in the BJP’s manifesto, will be a dream-come-true for the 40 lakh Purvanchalis residing in the national Capital.
However, the notification will be valid for this year only. Moreover, it will be applicable to employees of the Delhi Government and civic bodies only.
A delegation of the Delhi unit of the BJP led by its chief Satish Upadhyay met the Delhi Chief Secretary DM Spolia on Monday to demand public holiday on Chhath Puja. Sources have said that Spolia has accepted the proposal and would now take up the matter to the lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung for his approval. However, there may be some delay in the announcement as Jung is not in Delhi and shall return only by November 19.
The delegation also submitted letter demanding proper Chhath arrangements, amnesty scheme for water sewer connection in unauthorised colonies and improvement in PWD road maintenance sanitation. In a letter submitted to the Chief Secretary, Upadhyay has drawn attention that DJB’s water treatment plants are lying idle because Haryana has not been releasing Delhi’s full share of Yamuna water regularly from appropriate points. In his letter, Upadhyay has said that in the interest of people of West Delhi, especially Dwarka, it’s important that Delhi Government’s Irrigation Department raises the matter urgently with Haryana to get rightful share of water released.
Delhi BJP on Sunday had demanded deployment of additional police force and disaster management squads at railway stations and Chhath Puja ghats to manage groundswell.The move came after one person was killed and another injured while trying to board a train at New Delhi station while going to Bihar for Chhath Puja.