India, Nov. 14 -- With Chhath Puja beginning on Friday, several devotees at a Hindon river ghat near GT Road flagged low, contaminated water levels, unfit for bathing or performing rituals.

"The water is filthy. Leave apart bathing or performing rituals, it is not fit for even touching. We only hope more water is released so the impurities and filth wash away," said Avneesh Kumar, a resident of Arthala, who was at the ghat on the first day of puja.

Echoing similar concerns, Pandit Rakesh Tiwari, national general secretary of the Purabiya Jan Kalyan Parishad, which organises festivities at the ghat, said polluted water flow is a recurring issue. "The water is filthy. We had to raise concerns with officials. The issue recurs every year as...