Delhi High Court dismisses PIL seeking permission for Chhath Puja on banks of Yamuna

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking permission to perform Chhath puja on the banks of Yamuna river.

The PIL was filed by Purvanchal Nav Nirman Sansthan seeking directions to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and regional Sub-Divisional Magistrate to allow public to perform Chhath Puja on the river bank.

The PIL also sought directions to Delhi government to ensure that the river bank is clean.

A Bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela dismissed the PIL, observing that the Yamuna River is highly polluted and it is not safe for anyone to wade into its waters.

“We are not saying that your puja will pollute the river. We are saying that the river is already so polluted that you are likely to fall sick,” Chief Justice Manmohan said.

Justice Tushar Gedela remarked that the puja involves standing in the river with water up to the waist length.

“Are you aware of the rituals? You have to stand in the water till waist length. We cannot allow this,” he said.

The counsel for the Delhi government too concurred with the Court and submitted that the Yamuna is “highly polluted” and if devotees are allowed to perform puja, they are likely to fall sick.

The High Court referred to its recent judgment in Shabnam Burney case, in which the court had taken suo moto cognizance on the basis of a media report raising concern regarding excess pollutants in the river.

The Court further observed that sewage is being released into the river.

“At the eleventh hour, we can’t do much. If you want to get involved in the cleaning process, you can do so,” the Court remarked while dismissing the plea.