The NGT has rejected the plea of the West Bengal government seeking permission for Chhath Puja at Kolkata's Rabindra Sarovar.
The government will now appeal against this decision in the Supreme Court. The NGT banned the organization of Chhath Puja at Sarovar two years ago on the appeal of an environmental activist, Subhash Dutt.
Despite this, hundreds of people forcibly reached there and conducted worship.
Considering the large number of Hindi speakers and their votes in Kolkata, the Trinamool Congress government is now in favor of allowing Chhath Puja in Rabindra Sarovar.
The NGT has clearly said that Chhath Puja cannot be allowed in Rabindra Sarovar as it will harm the environment.
What is the matter
Environmental activist Subhash Dutt had filed a petition in the NGT that the conduct of the puja causes huge damage to the environment in and around the lake and hence it should be stopped immediately.
In the year 2018, the NGT banned the conduct of Chhath Puja at Rabindra Sarovar.
The state government had also requested to remove this ban last year. But the NGT stood firm on its decision.
The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), the government agency, is the custodian of the lake, spread over 73 acres. The authority has directed him to strictly implement the 2018 decision.
A crowd of 35 to 40 thousand people throng this lake during Chhath-puja. This is the only such huge lake in south Kolkata away from the Hooghly river where Chhath Puja has been organized for a long time.
Despite the ban two years ago, last year, hundreds of people entered inside by breaking the lock on the main gate and held Chhath Puja there.
The police standing there remained a silent spectator. Then there was a lot of controversy on this. But a senior Kolkata Police official says, "It is mainly a festival of women. We could not use force against them last year. As a result, we had to remain silent spectators."
"In 2016 and 17, the NGT permitted to perform Chhath Puja at Sarovar. From then onwards there was a complete ban on Chhath Puja," says a KMDA official.
However, despite the ban of NGT, people continue to reach Chhath Puja here.
There was a lot of uproar over this year as well. KMDA had recently sought permission to conduct Chhath Puja at Sarovar because of the religious sentiments of the people in the petition filed in the NGT.
The KMDA had also claimed before the court that there could be a law and order problem in the event of not allowing the event.
This is because thousands of devotees broke the closed doors of the lake and worshiped in violation of the orders of the NGT last year.
But a bench comprising Justice SP Wangdi and two expert members dismissed the petition. "We respect the court's decision and will take the next step after considering all aspects," says a senior KMDA official.
Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim says, "We will go to the Supreme Court against this decision. Keeping in mind the religious sentiments of the people, we wanted to give the green signal to the organization of Chhath Puja in Sarovar. Committed to the protection of rights. "
KMDA Chief Executive Officer Antara Acharya says, "It involves religious sentiments and many women and children gather on this occasion. It is difficult to prevent them from entering the lake complex."
On the other hand, environmentalists Somendra Nath Ghosh and Sumita Bandyopadhyay, while welcoming the order of the NGT, have questioned why KMDA filed such an application.
Environmentalist Subhash Dutt has also welcomed the decision of the authority. He says, "The government is trying to violate the authority's order rather than violating it. The government is not worried about pollution. The matter has become religious and the government is feeling that our vote bank may not Go wrong. That is why she wants to organize Chhath Puja here. "
Opposition is attacking the Mamta government
On the other hand, the opposition alleges that the Trinamool Congress is trying to woo the Hindi-speaking people ahead of the crucial assembly elections to be held in the state next year. Appeal to the NGT is also part of its strategy.
CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty says, "The government wants to take political advantage of this issue. But it should have made alternative arrangements in time keeping in mind the decisions of the authority."
BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha says, "It is shameful to appeal to the NGT to allow the organization of Chhath Puja. The government knows that this will cause huge damage to the lake and its surroundings. Mamta needs to understand the feelings of Hindi-speaking people It took me nine years. "
BJP leader Shamik Bhattacharya says, "The government is doing the politics of polarization on Chhath Puja celebrations. It should make alternative arrangements for conducting the puja as per the authority's directive. But under vote bank politics, Trinamool Congress tries to woo Hindi speakers I am engaged. "
Political observers say that the Trinamool Congress government aims to draw Hindi-speaking voters into its court before next year's elections.
Observer Vishwanath Chakraborty says, "Apart from the restructuring and expansion of the Hindi academy this week, the Hindi cell of the Trinamool Congress has also been formed. Now after that, its activity for Chhath Puja is clear that its focus is on the same Hindi-speaking vote bank." Which is also eyeing the BJP. "
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