DDMA to decide on Chhath celebrations next week in Delhi as politics intensifies

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier written to lieutenant governor Anil Baijal, requesting him to allow Chhath Puja celebrations at public places.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) will decide on the permission for the Chhath Puja celebration in the national capital next week. The authority will meet on October 27 and the issue of permission for the Chhath Puja celebrations will be taken up, according to news agency ANI. Politics over Chhath Puja intensified in Delhi after the DDMA banned celebrations in public places for the second consecutive year due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Politics over Chhath Puja intensified in Delhi after the DDMA banned celebrations in public places for the second consecutive year. (Sanchit Khanna/HT)

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier written to lieutenant governor Anil Baijal, requesting him to allow Chhath Puja celebrations at public places. He told Baijal that the Covid-19 situation has been under control in the national capital and the festival should be allowed to be conducted with Covid protocols in place.

"For the last three months, the Covid-19 situation is under control in Delhi. I believe, that we should allow the festival of Chhath Puja to be conducted with Covid-19 protocols in place," Kejriwal wrote.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoj Tiwari has been targeting the government after DDMA announced a ban on Chhath celebrations in public places. Tiwari said that Kejriwal, who is also the vice-chairman of DDMA, can take a decision to allow Chhath Puja celebrations. While the BJP-ruled municipal corporations have already started preparations for the festival, Delhi BJP has announced that it will celebrate the festival despite the ban.

(With agency inputs)