Lucknow: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state government is making every possible effort to ensure that Chhath celebrations are clean, beautiful and environmentally friendly. Along with providing better facilities to devotees during the festival, special emphasis is being laid on keeping the ghats plastic-free and ensuring effective sanitation arrangements. Urban local bodies have been directed to undertake extensive preparations through cleanliness drives, beautification, waste management and public participation.
As part of the campaign, proper cleaning of all Chhath ghats, repair of damaged sections, painting and whitewashing, and adequate lighting along access roads leading to the ghats are being ensured. Beautification of garbage-sensitive spots is also being undertaken, along with the promotion of tree plantation. Arpan Kalash have been installed at every ghat to facilitate the separate collection of flowers and other puja materials. In addition, green and blue dustbins will be used to segregate wet and dry waste for scientific disposal.
In line with the vision of the Yogi government, emphasis is being laid on developing Chhath ghats as no-plastic zones.
Along with prohibiting the use of single-use plastic, devotees are being encouraged to adopt environment-friendly alternatives. The target is to organise the celebrations as a zero-waste event.
Mobile toilets, bathing facilities and separate changing rooms for women have been arranged for Chhath devotees and visitors. Priority is also being accorded to clean drinking water, adequate lighting, security arrangements, deployment of divers and emergency services. Directional signboards and awareness signage are being installed at the ghats to facilitate the movement of devotees.
To transform the cleanliness campaign into a mass movement, participation is being ensured from Swachh Sarathi Clubs, voluntary organisations, NGOs, CSOs and local public representatives. People are being made aware through voluntary labour, collective cleanliness drives, rangoli, painting and debate competitions. Street plays, jingles and videos are also being used to spread the message of cleanliness and environmental protection.
Arrangements have been made for cleaning the ghats at least twice a day, immediate removal of garbage and silt, and roster-based deployment of officers and staff.
Messages on cleanliness are also being disseminated among devotees through public announcement systems.
A special cleanliness drive will be undertaken at the ghats even after the conclusion of Chhath Puja to ensure that the pooja sites and surrounding areas remain clean.
The Swachh Ghat Competition is also being organised this year on the occasion of Chhath. It aims to promote healthy competition among urban local bodies in terms of cleanliness, beautification, civic amenities and efficient management. Efforts are being made to ensure effective implementation of all arrangements, and urban local bodies demonstrating exemplary performance will be felicitated under the competition.
