Apex Court to hear Chhath petition on November 16

Kolkata: The Supreme Court will again hear the petition against National Green Tribunal's (NGT) directions to restrict Chhath Puja celebrations at Rabindra Sarobar on November 16.

On November 2, a bench comprising Justice RF Nariman, Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Krishna Murari heard Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority's plea which challenged the NGT's order to ban performing of rituals in the water body.

In September, the NGT had rejected the KMDA's plea seeking permission for

Chhath Puja in the Sarobar this year.

The green bench upheld its previous order banning any such ritual there to save the environment and plethora of biodiversity in the

Sarobar.

However, the NGT had allowed Chhath puja to be performed in the lake in 2017 under certain regulations. Since 2018, such activities have been prohibited in the lake by the green tribunal.