Kolkata: Devotees offer Chhath puja in ghats, entry to Rabindra Sarobar prohibited – Hindustan Times

Thousands of devotees performed Chhath Puja in ghats set up in ponds and rivers by the West Bengal government on Wednesday while the Rabindra Sarobar and Subhas Sarobar were kept out of bound for any visitor to prevent pollution of water.

A Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) official said gates of the two lakes were closed since 6 pm Tuesday and will be opened only at 6 am on Friday, after the Chhath puja rituals are over on Thursday morning to prevent anyone from entering into the premises of Rabindra Sarobar and Subhas Sarobar as per the order of National Green Tribunal to prevent contamination of water.

Thirty-two ghats have been set up by the KMDA in Jadavpur, Patuli, Kasba, Anandapur areas along waterbodies in those stretch near E M Bypass for the chhat devotees, he said, adding many pilgrims went there.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation also created several artificial waterbodies in Alipore, Ballygunje, Narkeldanga, Rasbehari MLA and member, board of administrators, KMC Debashis Kumar said.

However, the majority of the pilgrims went to over 100 ghats located along river Hooghly in tempos and small vehicles to the accompaniment of drums, music bands as major thoroughfares like Strand Road, Asutosh Mukherjee Road-Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Road, Beadon Street, Ganesh Chandra Avenue were choc-a-bloc with small processions with occasional bursting of fireworks.

Environmentalist Subhas Dutta expressed happiness that the gates of Rabindra Sarobar and Subhas Sarobar were locked and under constant vigil of the police.

“Unlike the situation in 2019 when some pilgrims barged into the lake compound and offered puja violating the NGT directive, this year not a soul is sighted. We are happy with the role of police and administration,” he said.

An official of West Bengal Pollution Control Board said the PM 2.5 at south Kolkata was recorded at 159 Air Quality Index at 7 pm, one hour after sunset as the Chhath puja rituals were over for the day.

“It is moderate and there is not much information about bursting of fireworks,” he said.