January 12, 2016
WB Govt makes elaborate arrangements for pilgrims at Gangasagar Mela
Keeping the huge turnout at Gangasagar Mela in mind, the West Bengal Government has deputed a team of seven ministers at Sagar Islands for the four days of the fair.
Seven Ministers in charge
The team of seven ministers will be led by state panchayat affairs and rural development minister Subrata Mukherjee, the state housing and youth affairs minister Arup Biswas and state power minister Manish Gupta, will be deputed at Kopchuberia.
Also, a team of four ministers consisting of state urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim, state irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee, minister of state for minority affairs Giasuddin Mollah and state Sunderbans affairs minister Manturam Pakhira would be stationed at Harwood Point.
T he Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Mayor, too, will remain at the principal exit point at Kolkata to Gangasagar as per the decision of the chief minister.
Since a huge turnout of over 5,00,000 people is expected this time at the fair the Chief Minister does not want any lapse in the arrangements; hence, she allotted duties to the ministers.
Security cover
Additional force deployment will be made at Sagar Islands during the fair days this year, both keeping in view the additional crowd and security threats in wake of the Pathankot incident.
Green clean Gangasagar
The fair at Gangasagar is set to be cleaner this year with the South 24-Parganas district administration setting up 10,000 toilets on the grounds. The authorities won’t allow open defecation to ensure that the area is not left in a mess once the fair is over.
‘Green clean Sagar mela’ is the theme for the fair this year. The idea, according to the district administration, is to prevent pollu tion. Of the 10,000 toilets to be set up, some will be permanent, some temporary and the rest mobile.
