By IANS,
Chandigarh: With Sukhna lake declared out of bounds, the Chandigarh administration has earmarked a newly built lake for Chhath puja. Around 100,000 devotees are expected to congregate there.
“I had visited the lake site yesterday (Friday) and reviewed the entire preparations. I had directed the officials to spruce up the entire area and provide proper lighting facility around the lake,” Finance Secretary Sanjay Kumar said here Saturday.
“We have made appropriate arrangements for parking of vehicles, cleanliness of the area and changing rooms. CCTV cameras have been installed to keep an eye on any anti-social element and sufficient police force will be deployed to maintain law and order,” he added.
The Chhat festival, one of the most revered festival of Bihar, is celebrated in honour of the sun god and devotees offer prayers while standing in water. This is probably the only festival where devotees pray to the setting as well as the rising sun.
Around 100,000 people are likely to perform religious ceremonies at this lake at dusk Saturday and dawn Sunday.
The new lake in Sector 42 was opened to the public last year in October during the Chhat festival but it dried up after a few months. Now that it has water again, the administration has refurbished the area around and improved the landscaping.
The Chandigarh administration has banned all religious ceremonies that pollute the environment on the banks of Sukhna Lake, which is the major tourist destination in this city.