Kolkata Residents Celebrate Chhath Puja with Eco-Friendly Festivities

In the lead-up to the Chhath Puja festivities, Kolkata's resident welfare associations (RWAs) have taken proactive measures to ensure a smooth and considerate celebration. This comes after the chaotic Diwali and Kali Puja celebrations earlier this year, which had sparked conflicts within some housing complexes.

The RWAs have issued fresh guidelines for Chhath, urging residents to celebrate the festival while being mindful of their neighbors. High-rise RWAs have gone a step further, creating temporary water bodies within their complexes to facilitate the rituals. They have also decorated the premises and set up refreshment stalls with music arrangements to make the celebrations more inclusive.

A South City RWA member stated that there will be no crackers burst in their complex during Chhath, as they have around 25-30 families performing the rituals. Similarly, the Merlin Warden Lakeview RWA has circulated advisories to remind devotees of the designated cracker-burning window between 6 am and 8 am on the day of Chhath.

The Pollution Control Board has allowed Chhath devotees to use only green crackers during the specified time frame. Kolkata police have also visited multiple high-rises to ensure compliance with the guidelines. The Rashtriya Bihari Samaj, run by the Bihar Nagarik Sangh Trust, has welcomed the RWAs' efforts, stating that it will help organize the festival more seamlessly.