Ask Delhi govt to ensure safety at water bodies for Chhath

BJP today urged Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to direct the city government to make necessary safety arrangements at water bodies and, especially, the ghats along Yamuna river for Chhath Puja to avoid a repeat of a tragedy as was witnessed for Ganesh Chaturthi immersions.
Delhi BJP President Vijay Goel, in a letter to Jung, accused Delhi government of not "making sufficient arrangements for the festival, which witnesses participation of lakhs of people, especially 'purvanchalis'".
Jung should ensure that proper steps are taken for Chhath Puja after the city in September witnessed a tragic episode during Ganesh Chaturthi, when many lives were lost in the Yamuna due to an absence of proper safety measures, Goel said.

Chhath Puja this year is to be celebrated over the two days of November 8 and 9.
"The government must ensure that a tragedy similar to the Ganesh Chaturthi incident is not repeated as lakhs of devotees throng the ghats of the Yamuna during the festival," he said.
He added that safety at the ghats, deployment of adequate numbers of police personnel, ambulances, lifeguards, transport facilities and traffic management and measures for the safety of women should be ensured as a priority by the government.

The administration should plan special measures to control crowds along the roads leading to the ghats, he said.

Goel further stated that BJP would deploy a large number of party workers as volunteers at all Chhath Puja ghats along the Yamuna, canals and other water bodies across Delhi, as "it was felt that people face a lot of problems during such a big festival due to the lackadaisical approach of the Congress government".
He said that BJP would declare Chhath Puja a public holiday if it came to power in Delhi.
Goel also asked the Mayors of the three BJP-ruled civic bodies to take measures to provide facilities for the common people celebrating Chhath Puja in the areas under their jurisdiction.

"The areas under MCD jurisdiction should be cleaned and sanitised," he said.