The Uttar Pradesh government has urged devotees to celebrate the Chhath Puja at home as much as possible to avert the risk of getting infected by coronavirus. The government said that it will not ban the celebrations on the banks of rivers and public waterbodies, but encouraged people to celebrate the festival at their home.
The government said that the threat of coronavirus is not yet over and appealed to the people to follow Covid protocols such as maintaining social distance and wearing masks while celebrating the festival.
The Adityanath government has sought cooperation of the people for the celebrations and ensured that all arrangements will be in place for the devotees. The government has directed districts' administrations to set up changing rooms and toilets for women at the ghats.
Also, ambulances will be stationed at the ghats to ferry people devotees in case of emergency. Besides, the officials have been directed to ensure proper barricading at ponds and waterbodies. CCTVs will be installed at the ghats for monitoring the movement of people.
The administration will be responsible for arranging drinking water and facilities for sanitization. Social distancing norms will be in place to cut threat of the virus.
The administration, however, did not lift several of the measures listed in the guideline such as bursting of firecrackers, setting up of stalls and holding of cultural programmes near waterbodies.
The four-day festival begins from today. The festival is dedicated to lord Sun and Chhathi Maiya. Due to the pandemic, some states have placed a ban on public festivities.
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