A pond in Sector V, Bokaro steel city, dons a spic-and-span look on Friday. Picture by Pankaj Singh

Bokaro Steel’s town administration department and the district authorities have embarked on a massive drive to spruce up banks of rivers and ponds in the city and Chas Municipality area, where Chhath devotees will offer arghya to the sun god.

The cleanliness drive is being carried out across 10 water reservoirs in Bokaro steel city and seven major ghats of Garga river, where more than 2 lakh devotees will flock on October 29 and 30.

The 10 reservoirs, including Surya Sarovar, just opposite the administrative building, Surya Mandir pond at Sector IV-F, the tanks at Jagannath temple and City Park, cooling ponds at Vaisghali More and Rani Pokahar, are almost ready to host the faithful. The steel plant’s town administration department has completed lighting arrangements as well. All the ghats have also been repaired to avoid any untoward incident. Barricades will come up on time before the festival.

“We have done our best to clean the ponds and reservoirs for Chhath. Now, it is up to residents of Bokaro to keep the city clean,” stated Sanjay Tewary, chief of communications of Bokaro steel plant.

Deputy commissioner Uma Shankar Singh on Friday directed officials of Chas Municipality as well as SDO S.N. Ram to see to it that none of the ghats, especially those between Garga dam and Chira Chas, remained unclean.

“We have earmarked the ghats where arghya is offered. Chhath is the main festival of the people of Bihar and Jharkhand. Almost all families celebrate it. Hence, the turnout is huge. The district administration does not want to take any chance and is making adequate preparations to ensure safe and hassle-free celebrations,” Singh said.

Apart from Bokaro steel city and Chas township, deputy commissioner Singh has also asked officials to ensure that cleanliness drive are carried out at Bermo, Nawadih, Petarwar, Kasmar, Gomia, Tenughat, Chandrapura and Chandankyari.