Delhi High Court Denies Chhath Puja Rituals at Yamuna River Over Pollution Concerns

Devotees in Delhi faced a major obstacle when the Delhi High Court decided against carrying out customary ceremonies near the Yamuna riverbank as the four-day Chhath Puja got underway on Wednesday.
Based on high pollution levels in the river, the court's ruling has sparked further questions regarding the environmental condition of one of Delhi's most significant water sources, particularly in relation to major religious celebrations.

Celebrated mostly in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, Chhath Puja is a custom whereby participants give prayers to the Sun God and perform ceremonial baths in rivers or other water bodies. For such festivities, the Yamuna has long been a focal point in Delhi; thousands of people have customarily gathered along its banks.

But this year the Delhi High Court made it abundantly evident that the great pollution levels in the Yamuna would prevent these activities along the river. Emphasising the health hazards presented by the polluted water, a bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela issued a strong warning.

"It will seriously hurt you. The bench said, "The river is so contaminated that if you dip into it, there is the likelihood that the person would suffer harm." "We forbid that. The river is absolutely contaminated.

The court's decision emphasises a rising worry over the Yamuna's environmental state, which has been beset for years by untreated garbage, sewage, and unbridled industrial effluences. Although the river is very important for religious and cultural purposes, its water quality has gotten bad, especially in Delhi, where millions of people depend on it for their main source of drink.

The ruling hurts the numerous followers who had intended to carry out the customary Chhath Puja ceremonies along the Yamuna. Families and communities congregate on the riverbanks to carry out ceremonies at sunrise and dusk, therefore fostering a communal spirit of the event. The court has directed the Delhi government to investigate other sites for the rites, though, as the river is now judged dangerous for such events.

The Delhi administration is anticipated to act in response to the court's worries to stop devotees from assembling at the banks of the Yamuna Authorities should think about making interim plans at several sites so that the rites may be followed without compromising public health.

The decision also underscores the continuous difficulties the city has in controlling pollution and raising the condition of its water supplies. Notwithstanding several attempts to clean the Yamuna, including waste management projects and sewage treatment plants, the river is still quite contaminated, particularly in locations that draw big numbers of people for celebrations.

With both the officials and the people trying to strike a balance between religious traditions and the pressing need for a cleaner, safer environment, Chhath Puja celebrations in Delhi will have to adjust to the realities of environmental damage for now.

All eyes will be on the actions done to guarantee the safety of the attendees and the future of the Yamuna River, a crucial component of Delhi's ecology and cultural legacy while the celebration goes on.

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