Scott Mc Kiernan Presents zReportage.com Issue #1011 Story of the Week: Published TUESDAY October 28, 2025: ‘CHHATH PUJA: Prayers And Pollution’ by ZUMA Press award winning photo-journalist Elke Scholiers: Hindu devotees worship the Sun god as they stand in the waters of Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida, India. The Yamuna River has long been in the news, made infamous for its polluted waters, especially during celebrations like Chhath Puja. Despite the visibly dangerous state of the river, each year, devotees gather along its banks to offer prayers, braving the polluted waters in faith, often unaware or ignoring the risks. Chhath Puja is a Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya and has seen growing participation in Noida. The word Puja is roughly translated into English as ‘reverence, honour, homage, adoration, or worship’. Praying in the Yamuna river is a health risk due to high levels of pollution from untreated sewage, indust...