Chhath Puja: Delhi Govt Declares Holiday On Nov 16

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) The Delhi government has declared a public holiday on November 16 on the occasion of Pratihar Shashthi or Surya Shashthi (Chhath Puja), an official said on Tuesday.

Schools, colleges, government offices and premises of autonomous bodies under the Delhi government will remain closed on that day, the official in the General Administration Department said.

The official notification said, "... November 16 (Monday), has been declared a public holiday across Delhi for all government offices, autonomous bodies, and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) on the occasion of Pratihar Shashthi or Surya Shashthi (Chhath Puja)."

The offices of the civic agencies, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and New Delhi Municipal Council will also observe the Chhath holiday on the next Monday, the official said.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, earlier, said that the state government is preparing more than 1,400 Chhath ghats in the city this year.

Last year, the total number of Chhath ghats in Delhi was 1,326.

On Thursday, BJP President Nitin Nabin is scheduled to inaugurate Delhi's 11-km-long Chhath ghat along the Munak Canal.

Earlier, the Delhi government set up a committee led by the Art and Culture Minister Kapil Mishra to oversee preparations for the four-day Chhath festival starting on November 13.

The festival is popular among the city's 40-lakh strong Purvanchali community.

Kapil Mishra-led Chhath Puja committee includes MLAs Abhay Kumar Verma, Chandan Kumar Chaudhary, Sandeep Sehrawat and Deepak Chaudhary, along with social worker Santosh Ojha.

The Chhath committee was tasked to oversee NOCs, drinking water, medical and ambulance services, fire safety, mobile toilets, security, traffic, sanitation, fogging and uninterrupted electricity at ghats and venues.

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