Delhi High Court Rejects Plea Against Ban Of Chhath Puja On River Yamuna's Banks
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea challenging the ban on celebrating Chhath Puja on the banks of river Yamuna in the national capital.
The plea filed by two organisations, the Chhath Pooja Sangharsh Samiti and the Purwanchal Jagriti Manch, had challenged a Delhi government order in October 2021 which banned Chhath Puja on the banks of Yamuna in Delhi, arguing that it was a violation of fundaments rights.
How the ban affected 40 lakh people
They argued that 30-40 lakh people in Delhi have been affected by the ban, while those in the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are celebrating the festival on Yamuna's banks.
According to the petitioners, the order notified by the Delhi government during the COVID-19 period was without any power, and there was no mention of the rights, contentions, or grievances of the government.
What the petition sought?
The plea sought to direct the authorities to allow and give permission to perform the functioning of Chhath Puja at different ghats and as well as at the banks of the Yamuna River.
Why Delhi HC rejected the plea
However, Justice Subramonium Prasad of the Delhi HC refused to entertain the petition and said the ban is to prevent pollution in Yamuna.
"There are sufficient safeguards and it (the ban) is for the purpose to prevent river pollution," the bench said.
How polluted is River Yamuna
The River Yamuna is one of the most polluted water bodies in the country, and it is not uncommon to see it filled with toxic foams.
Last month, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had expressed dissatisfaction over the reports submitted by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the city government and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) regarding the revival measures for the Yamuna and sought fresh documents from them.
A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted that based on the tribunal's earlier directions, the Delhi government, DJB, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Haryana had filed status reports about the river.
The bench, also comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, said the reports were "deficient" on various issues, including details of the drains discharging both treated and untreated wastewater in the river and the quantity and quality of the discharged wastewater.
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