CM Atishi: With both raising concerns about the poisonous foam floating in the river and accusing one another of causing the problem, the festival has turned into the most recent source of contention between the AAP and the BJP.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Delhi government led by the Aam Aadmi Party of causing excessive pollution in the Yamuna, Chief Minister Atishi declared on Tuesday that more than 1,000 Chhath ghats had been set up throughout the city, guaranteeing access to devotees within 1-2 km of their homes.
Atishi stated during a press conference that the study has been a joint effort by multiple government agencies. “The irrigation and flood control departments, as well as the public works department, have prepared the ghats, and the health department has set up medical facilities. The artificial ghats are receiving water from the Delhi Jal Board,” she said.
In order to attend the celebration, devotees in Delhi won’t need to travel more than 1-2 kilometers, she said. Atishi claimed during a Monday visit to ITO Ghat that the event, which has traditionally been observed by the Poorvanchali group, had expanded to include all Delhi residents.
November 7 is designated as the primary evening prayer (Sandhya Arghya), while Chhath Puja will be observed from November 5 to November 8. With both parties voicing concerns about the poisonous foam floating in the river and accusing one another of causing the problem, the festival has turned into the most recent source of contention between the AAP and the BJP.
According to Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, the AAP administration has never given the needs of the Poorvanchali community priority, and the preparations are “inadequate.” As of November 5 evening, Sachdeva stated, “Unfilled ponds and a lack of drinking water tankers at over 800 temporary Chhath ghats are the result of the administration’s egregious negligence and corruption under CM Atishi this year.”
Additionally, Sachdeva charged that AAP MLAs were forcing Chhath committees to promote AAP leaders through hoardings while blocking necessary provisions like power and tents.
Chirag Dilli village saw the deployment of police and Central Reserve Police officers, and a dispute over ghat building persisted in south Delhi. The previous four days have seen a dispute between the BJP and AAP over which committee should oversee the development of ghats in Satpula Park. Another committee in his region was prohibited from establishing a ghat, according to Somnath Bharti, an AAP Malviya Nagar MLA.