DDMA allows Chhath celebrations in public; Sisodia says pre-decided venues, limited attendance will be allowed

The earlier decision to ban celebrations in public had drawn flak from the state units of BJP and Congress, and had put the AAP-ruled Delhi government on the back foot.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has allowed Chhath celebrations in public in a decision taken on Wednesday.

The body, which is headed by the Delhi L-G Anil Baijal, had earlier banned public celebrations of the festival, which is primarily observed by people from Purvanchal.

“Many people’s sentiments are associated with Chhath, DDMA has granted permission to celebrate it in public… We have observed that Covid is under control in the city and there is no need to worry but there is a need to be very careful. The celebrations will have to follow a very strict protocol, celebrations will be held only at pre-decided locations, a limited number of people will be allowed and masks will be mandatory,” said the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

The earlier decision to ban celebrations in public had drawn flak from the state units of BJP and Congress, and had put the AAP-ruled Delhi government on the back foot.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had appealed to the Centre to allow the festival to be celebrated, while Sisodia had written to the Health Minster asking him to consult a group of experts and come out with guidelines for the festival.

According to estimates, close to a third of Delhi’s population is originally from the Purvanchal region, which includes eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Over the years, Chhath has become one of the main festivals celebrated in the city and the Delhi government, alongside civic bodies, makes arrangements for celebration at the banks of Yamuna.

Source: Read Full Article