Delhi High Court bars Chhath Puja at DDA-maintained Chintoo Park. (Representative image)

23 years of Chhath Puja at DDA park cannot override green space rules, says Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court refused permission for Chhath Puja at Chintoo Park in Naraina. The ruling prioritises a public green area because an alternative venue is available.

by · India Today

In Short

  • The applicant said festivities had taken place there for 23 years
  • DDA warned the gathering could damage the park's trees and flowers
  • Organisers promised to restore the venue fully after the observances

The Delhi High Court has refused permission to hold Chhath Puja at a park maintained by the Delhi Development Authority, saying its use for the festival over several years cannot justify allowing religious activities in a green area, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

Justice Jasmeet Singh noted that the Delhi government had earmarked an area near the Munak Canal for Chhath Puja. Given the alternative arrangement, the court said there was no justification for allowing the use of Chintoo Park in Naraina village, which is maintained as a green area.

The high court, which was closed for the Diwali vacation, urgently heard the plea on November 13. The applicant had sought permission to organise Chhath Puja at the park, including Sandhya Arghya on November 15 and Usha Arghya on November 16.

The applicant told the court that the religious observance had been organised at the site for the past 23 years.

According to PTI, the court said, “The fact that the applicant has been organising Chhath Puja at the said location for several years, or that the present request is confined to a limited area and period, cannot, by itself, constitute a ground for permitting the use of a green area. The park is being maintained as a green area for the benefit of the public at large.”

Appearing for the Delhi Development Authority, its counsel opposed the plea and said the park was maintained as a green area with trees and flowers. Permitting the event would adversely affect the park and its maintenance, the counsel argued.

The applicant assured the court that the park would be restored to its original condition after the festivities. The court, however, dismissed the plea, citing the park's status as a green area and the availability of an alternative site for the festival.

- Ends
(With PTI inputs)