Chhath Puja spurs inspection of Delhi ghats by BJP leaders even as capital faces bad air quality after Diwali

New Delhi: After the air quality in Delhi dipped, the BJP’s state unit carried out a recce of the national capital’s ghats before the upcoming Chhath Puja. The BJP state unit in Delhi carried out inspections of several ghats along the Yamuna River even as the city’s air quality deteriorated into the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ range.

Top BJP leaders, including state unit functionaries, ministers and MPs, visited ghats such as Sonia Vihar, ITO and Rohini to review cleanliness, lighting, crowd-control and basic amenities ahead of the festival. The party said it would ensure that around 1,500 ghats across the national capital are prepared for the event. This will include 23 large “natural” ghats on the Yamuna banks and some 1,300 artificial sites.

The inspections come as the city grapples with sharp pollution levels after Diwali. The BJP-led government has attributed the decline in air quality to stubble burning in neighbouring states, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the administration of mismanaging monitoring data.

In a statement, BJP Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva said the cleanliness drives and inspections are part of the party’s commitment to ensure that devotees can perform Chhath rituals “without inconvenience”.

Authorities have asked municipal corporations, public-works departments and city police to complete arrangements by the festival days.

Chhath Puja begins with the ‘Nahay Khay’ ritual on October 25, and will carry on for four days with prayers and offerings.