Altogether 80 ghats along various waterbodies have been earmarked by the authorities in Calcutta for the Chhath festival to be observed between November 7 afternoon and November 8 morning.

"The KMC has made arrangements in 40 ghats, while the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) has specified another 40 ghats," a senior official of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) said on Wednesday.

The ghats are located in Mukundapur, Kasba, Lake Gardens, Bijoygarh, Patuli, Lake Town-Sreebhumi and other pockets across the city to facilitate the smooth conduct of rituals.

To prevent pollution of national lakes like Rabindra Sarovar, the National Green Tribunal had prohibited Chhath rituals in it since 2017 but the state managed to fully enforce the ban since 2019 barricading the premises and deploying cops at multiple entry points.

The NGT had allowed Chhath Puja to be performed in the lake under strict regulations in 2016, which were flouted that year and the subsequent two years.

"This year all the 10 gates at Rabindra Sarovar will be locked from Wednesday evening to Friday afternoon," the official said.

Save Rabindra Sarovar Forum member and green activist Somendra Mohan Ghosh said the steps by KMDA, custodian of the lake, is the prerequisite to protect the lake's ecosystem and biodiversity.

"If devotees, using Rabindra Sarovar till 2018, look for alternative spots to celebrate Chhath Puja, there are other locations where the authorities have made all necessary arrangements," he said.

Six clubs, located in the vicinity of Rabindra Sarovar area, including Lake Club, Calcutta Rowing Club, and Bengal Rowing Club, will be closed from November 6 evening to November 8 afternoon as well.

Rasbehari MLA and KMC Mayor-In-Council Debashis Kumar said giant tanks made of metal have also been set up in the Panditia Road area for people to offer puja and perform other rituals.

Apart from Rabindra Sarovar, Chhath rituals have been prohibited at Subhash Sarobar in north Calcutta to save the rich ecosystem.

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