Jharkhand bans Chhath puja around water bodies due to the pandemic

The Jharkhand government has decided to ban organising of Chhath puja celebrations on the banks of water bodies in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chhath puja is mainly observed by the people of Bihar, Jharkhand and bordering areas in Uttar Pradesh, and it will be celebrated on November 20.

"The ritual of holy bathing in common waters of river/pond/lake/dam/reservoir/any other water body and standing in water is a matter of serious concern as it will amount to sharing of water thus enhancing the chances of spread of infection besides causing the contamination of the water," read the order by Jharkhand government.

Chhath is dedicated to the Sun God and is one of the most popular festivals for the people of Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh or Purvanchal. Devotees gather and take a holy dip in rivers, ponds, and other water bodies during the four-day festivities.

Jharkhand reported 129 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the total number of infections in the state to 1,06,064, according to the data released by the state health department. Currently, there are only as many as 2,952 active COVID-19 cases in the state.

As many as 10,186 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Sunday taking the total number of samples tested in the state so far to 37,90,900, the data revealed.