Lake chokes as hundreds pour in to observe Chaiti Chhath

KOLKATA: A few hundreds of devotees swarmed Rabindra Sarobar for Chaiti Chhath on Thursday evening, flouting the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on religious ceremonies at the Lake. Women, dressed in finery and carrying puja offerings in baskets and banana bunches on their shoulders, began streaming in shortly after 4pm to secure a spot along the waterbody’s edge. By 5pm, over 300 devotees had arrived, swarming in from near Menoka Cinema Hall. They trampled saplings, plucked flowers and dumped offerings, vermilion and oil in the water.

Though it was relatively small compared to the full-fledged Chhath, the extent of damage caused during this festival was quite significant.


After the puja on the banks, devotees climbed into the water to offer obeisance to the Chhathi Maiya. “The Lake ,after the Chhat Puja assault in November, had just started recuperating. This is the time when lotuses blossom in large numbers in the water. But now again, in the name of Chaiti Chhat, devotees caused another round of damage. Police did nothing to stop the devotees since they were outnumbered,” said Sumita Banerjee, member of the Calcutta High Court-appointed Lake Monitoring Committee.


Dhakuria Lake’s importance to Kolkata’s overall well-being cannot be overstated. “We must also keep in mind that the eco-system in and around the lake is fragile; even one day of irresponsible behaviour can lead to irreparable damage. Both government agencies and citizens are responsible for the Lake’s health and must behave accordingly,” said environmentalist Somendra Mohan Ghosh.

There were a few police personnel who tried to stop the devotees on Thursday. Arguments ensued as the number of devotees grew and police found it futile to try to stop them. “It is unfortunate to see how a handful of devotees violate an NGT order. These repeat offences also portray the poor perception about NGT,” said Mrityunjoy Chatterjee, another member of the committee.

The legal fight for the ravaged ecosystem at Rabindra Sarobar began in 2013 in Calcutta High Court. After the formation of NGT, the cases were transferred there. The NGT, in its first ruling in 2016, said Chhath Puja rituals could not be performed at the Sarobar. The Rashtriya Bihari Samaj (RBS) moved court then, claiming that a judgement as important as this could not be given just 10 days before the puja as it would be difficult to find a new venue. The court had then allowed the group to perform rituals at the Lake that year, but maintained that no one should be allowed to bring in flowers, oil or other polluting substances. But all the rulings were grossly violated. In 2018, too, Chhath devotees violated the NGT order.