NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been pooling its resources in preparation for Chhath Puja at the ghats in the national capital. The MCD has launched a special cleaning drive in an effort to clean all the ghats. A similar cleaning initiative has also been adopted to clean the parks across the city.
Apart from this, parking facilities have also been provided around ghats demarcated for Chhath Puja and fogging has been conducted to control mosquito proliferation.
As per the information from the mayor’s office, Chhath Ghats have been built in 100 wards. Apart from these, projects regarding the construction of ghats in other wards are 80-90% complete. On the other hand, an amount of Rs 40,000 per ward has been allotted and released by the civic authority to facilitate lighting arrangements at ghats.
Utilising this fund, lights have been installed around the Chhath Ghats in all the wards and adequate lighting has been ensured for the devotees. Streetlights have also been installed and refurbished from the approach roads to Chhath Ghat.
Commenting on the preparations for the Chhath festival, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi said, “Preparations for Chhath Puja are complete. Ghats have been built in each ward by the councillors and MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party in more than 100 wards and construction work of ghats in other wards will be completed by Thursday.”
The mayor has instructed all the zonal Deputy Commissioners to strengthen the arrangements for the Chhath festival in their respective zones. Instructions have also been given to all the MCD officials to provide maximum facilities to the devotees visiting the ghats during the Chhath festival.
The previous month, the MCD had allocated Rs 40,000 per ward to improve street lighting around the Chhath Ghats. The funds were allocated to two ghats in every ward. Besides lighting, it was informed that the funds will also be utilised in sanitation and cleanliness arrangements.
‘Not a penny given despite announcement’
Ahead of Chhath, Delhi BJP leaders on Wednesday trained its guns on AAP alleging that despite an announcement by the MCD to provide financial aid to Chhath committees, no money was provided for preparations saying, “No Chhath samitis have been given a penny despite the mayor’s announcement that two committees in each ward will be provided Rs 40,000 each.”