New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (November 6), while taking note of pollution in the Yamuna river, refused to allow devotees to perform Chhath Puja at the banks of the river.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said that the Yamuna river is highly polluted and allowing Chhath Puja at the banks of Yamuna river will be very harmful and we don’t want any harm to be done to devotees”.
High Court was hearing a PIL
The High Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Purvanchal Nav Nirman Sansthan challenging the ban imposed by Delhi government on Chhath puja celebrations at banks of the Yamuna river.
Banks could be clean, willing to take the initiative to clean, petitioner’s counsel told High Court
The counsel representing the petitioner urged the court to allow Chhath puja celebrations at the banks of the Yamuna river, submitting that the banks of the river could be clean and they were willing to take the initiative to clean it.
We can’t clean up Yamuna in one day’s time: High Court
“Please understand you will fall sick. we can’t allow you (devotees) to go into the water. It is highly polluted. It is a gigantic task, it cannot be done now. We can’t clean up Yamuna in one day’s time,” the bench said, news agency PTI reported.
1,000 spots have been earmarked to perform Chhath Puja, Delhi government told High Court
The counsel representing the Delhi government said that the Yamuna river was highly polluted at this juncture and if the devotees are allowed to perform Chhath Puja at the banks of the river, the devotees are likely to fall sick. The counsel further said that the city government has earmarked 1,000 spots to perform the Chhath Puja in the national capital and sufficient arrangements have been made.
Nothing else can be done at the eleventh hour, High Court said while taking note of Delhi government’s submissions
The High Court took note of the submissions of the Delhi government counsel that 1,000 spots have been earmarked to perform the Chhath Puja and sufficient arrangements have been made and said that nothing else can be done at the eleventh hour.
The High Court referred to a recent order passed by it in another case in which judicial notice was taken about the fact that the pollution in the Yamuna river was at an all-time high.
“Keeping in view the aforesaid facts as well as the fact that the Chhath Puja festival commences from tomorrow (November 7), this court is of the view that no orders can be passed in the PIL. The same is accordingly dismissed,” the bench said.
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