Jharkhand allows Chhath Puja along water bodies, BMC prohibits

The BMC has issued a list of standard operating procedures (SOP) for celebrating the forthcoming Chhath Puja in Mumbai. As per the SOP, the BMC has prohibited the Chhath Puja at beaches, rivers and ponds to avoid crowding. The devotees have been allowed to perform rituals only at the artificial ponds under strict rules and regulations. The police have been asked to make tight bandobast to ensure that the crowd does not gather at public places.

Every year lakhs of people gather at Juhu beach in Mumbai for Chhath Puja. It is also place for political leaders to show their presence during the festival. But this year the BMC has decided to prohibit the celebrations at the beach as the corporation suspects that people are not likely to follow Covid norms such as social distancing during the festival."Chhath Puja is on Friday and Saturday - November 20 and 21.

On the other hand,the  Jharkhand government allowed religious ceremonies on the banks of rivers, ponds and other public waterbodies for Chhath puja on Tuesday in the state. The latest development comes a day after several members of BJP staged a protest over the ban on Chhath puja celebrations on the banks of waterbodies in view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The government was criticised by opposition parties after the State Disaster Management Committee issued a guideline on Sunday night saying that no one would be permitted to gather near waterbodies during the Chhath puja celebrations.