Major water bodies in Jharkhand decorated with lights for Chhath puja

Ranchi, Nov 19 (PTI) Jharkhand's major water bodies including ponds, dams and reservoirs have been cleaned and decorated with lights for the Chhath puja, a festival dedicated to the worship of the Sun God.

The water bodies have also been barricaded for the first day 'Arghya' to Sun God on Sunday evening, an official said.

In a bid to ensure a safe and peaceful Chhath puja celebration, administrations of different districts have deputed additional security forces and deployed NDRF teams in vulnerable water bodies of Ranchi and Deoghar districts.

"Three NDRF teams have been deployed in Ranchi's Kanke Dam, Bada Talab and Dhurwa Dam. One team has been deployed at Deoghar," NDRF inspector Ravi Kant told PTI.

Drones, CCTV cameras and motorcycle squads would also keep an eye to avoid any untoward incidents during the celebration of the festival, a senior police officer said.

The four-day Chhath festival—worship of the Sun God— began with the Nahai Khai ritual on Friday, which will conclude on Monday morning with offering 'Argha' to Sun God. Every year, a large number of devotees gather at water bodies across the state such as ponds, rivers, reservoirs and lakes to worship the rising and setting sun.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday took stock of the preparations for the Chhath festival in Ranchi. Soren visited two major water bodies of the city — Kanke Dam and Hatnia Pond — and reviewed the status of cleanliness, safety, security and other arrangements.

The CM had asked the officials to keep all the Chhath ghats clean and safe for devotees and make necessary security arrangements there.

In Ranchi, all 72 water bodies within the limit of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) have been cleaned up, an RMC official claimed. Most of the Chhath rituals are held in water bodies.

Ranchi's Additional District Magistrate (Law and Order) Rajeshwar Nath Alok said that NDRF teams have been deputed in three water bodies of Ranchi and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) will also be deployed in other vulnerable water bodies.

He said that adequate security arrangements have been ensured at all Chhath ghats in Ranchi. Barricading and danger zone markings at water bodies where the water level is high have been completed, another official said.

Meanwhile, entry of heavy vehicles to the city has been prohibited from 8 am to 11 pm on Sunday and 2 am to 10 pm on Monday, an official statement said. PTI SAN RG