Festivities leave river in a mess

The banks of the sacred Saryu river, which had witnessed grand Deepavali celebrations in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath barely two days ago, wears a different look now. As many as 1.87 lakh earthen lamps were lit, creating a world record.

For, the banks of the river, especially the Ram ki Paidi, which is thronged by thousands of devotees every day, is littered with diyas. The leftover mustard oil, used in the lamps, spilled over into the river waters.

“It was impossible to even walk along the banks. It was hard to imagine that barely a few hours ago a grand event had been organised here,” a devotee said.

Pictures of the polluted Saryu banks went viral on social networking sites, inviting flak from the public. In response, Faizabad district officials said they would initiate action against the event organisers