Chhath Puja: Campaign launched to vaccinate devotees against Covid

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday launched a special campaign for administration of Covid vaccines to devotees going to observe fast on Chhath festival post Diwali at Ibrahimpur village in North East Delhi's Burari area.

He was accompanied by BJP MP Manoj Tiwari.

Later, Puri shared pictures of the launch and sought blessings for all from “Chhathi Maiya” in a tweet in Bhojpuri.

The celebration of Chhath at riverbanks, water bodies and temples was prohibited in view of COVID by Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in its order on September 30.

However, the DDMA is expected to permit the festival at public places after its meeting on Wednesday.

Tiwari, North East Delhi MP, who had strongly opposed the ban on Chhath, had on Tuesday announced the campaign to vaccinate "Chhathvratis" so that the festival is celebrated safely.

Over 10,000 persons are to be administrated the vaccine across the city during the campaign.

Chhath, celebrated after Diwali by people from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, involves the offering of "Arghya" by fasting women to the Sun god in knee-deep water.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier this month wrote a letter to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, requesting him to allow Chhath Puja in Delhi.