Preparing water pool for Chhath devotees on the roof of Devashree appartment

By: VT Ripathi

PATNA: After going through the ordeal of the longest waterlogging exceeding over three weeks, the residents of Gola Road and nearby localities have the only option to create makeshift ponds on their rooftops to observe Chhath .

There are still some colonies like Sundernagar, Punam Cooperative, Arpana Colony and parts of Bank Colony where waterlogging continues and poses various problems to people observing Chhath. Filth and overflowing sewage also mar the sanctity of the festival known for purity and cleanliness at homes and around.

Abhay Singh of Sundernagar said had the lanes been cleaned, people could think of going to the Ganga ghats for offering arghya. But there is about two feet of water in the area and rooftop is the only place to offer arghya. However, residents of some areas have contributed to raise the road level by putting thick coats of brick chips, he added.

Deepak Mishra of Ramjaypal Nagar said rooftop Chhath has become the compulsion for people who have just recovered from the horrible experience of waterlogging, which has left many in the families sick.

Bhup Narayan Pathak of Arpana Colony said makeshift arrangements at home were becoming more popular in new colonies from where any of the Ganga ghats was more than five kilometres away. However, following the tradition, devotees bring Ganga water to mix with tap water to fill the rooftop ponds, he said.

Meanwhile, Danapur administration has spruced up over two dozens of ponds and water bodies in Khagaul, Maner and Bihta.

Danapur SDO Taranjot Singh said ten medical teams and four ambulances were deputed at Shahpur, Pipapul, Nariyal Ghat and Nasariganj Ghat. Mahavir Tola Ghat at Maner has been closed for safety reasons. Among the outside ghats, necessary arrangements have been made at Khagaul Lock. He said adequate number of police personnel with magistrates were assigned the task to maintain law and order. In Bihta, the safe ghats for Chhath include Parev Ghat, Mahdahi Ghat, Bihta Airforce pond, Maya Swami Mandir pond, Sri Rampur temple pond and Vishvesar Nath temple pond.

