SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Nov 6: While the ponds, lakes and riversides are still littered with filth, Chhath devotees of the coal city have started racing up to capture the ‘ghats’ of their choice.
Besides Damodar, Khudia and Barakar rivers, there are dozens of ponds and lakes in the city especially Rajendra Sarovar at Bekar Bandh, Rani Talab in Dhaiyya, Pampu Talab, Manaitand Chhat Talab, Khokhan Tala and Loko Tank where devotees have started marking their possession at the Ghats for the festival. A massive gathering of devotees is registered on these ghats every year on the occasion of Chhath festival.
“Of course the pond is littered with filth but the prior marking of the space at the pond before Chhath rituals help us in the decoration of ghat and avoiding bickering with other devotees for the same spot,” said a devotee of JC Mallick Road who offers ‘Arghya’ at Khokhan Talab, Hirapur every year.
One of the devotees admitted that the present hygienic condition of the pond is not permissible but they have decided to get the pond cleaned at their own level if the Municipal Corporation authorities fail to do it in time.
Dhanbad Town Commissioner, Satyendra Kumar, when contacted said that the Municipal Corporation is serious about getting all the water bodies of the urban area cleaned before starting Chhath so that no devotee faces any kind of problem in celebrating the festival of faith.
“DMC workers have been deployed for cleaning not just the Chhath ponds but also the link roads of it by Sunday at any cost,” he informed after assessing the condition of some ponds.
Meanwhile, people’s representatives- Dhanbad Sadar MLA Raj Sinha, Baghmara MLA Dhulu Mahto, Sindri MLA Indrajit Mahto and Nirsa MLA Aparna Sengupta have also launched ponds clean drive in their respective constituencies.
