January 14, 2020
Bangla Govt ministers take stock of situation at Gangasagar
The heads of three departments responsible for the running of the Gangasagar Mela — the Panchayat and Rural Development Minister, Fire and Emergency Services Minister and Minority Affairs Minister — took stock of the situation at Sagar Island on Sunday.
A fire safety stall guiding the pilgrims was also inaugurated by the ministers. The stall displays all the modern firefighting equipment kept ready for the pilgrims and avoid any untoward incident.
The efficiency of the system has already been displayed, when two patients were airlifted to hospital, said the Panchayats Minister. He said that five lakh pilgrims had visited on Saturday, and eight lakh were already there on Sunday. The number is expected to swell hugely in the coming days, as the days for the holy dip draws near.
The minister reiterated that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is concerned about the safety and security of pilgrims and she also wants more and more pilgrims to come to the Gangasagar Mela. She has instructed the government to ensure that Gangasagar 2020 should be accident-free.
This year, apart from bearing all the expenses of conducting the Gangasagar Mela, the government has also insured each pilgrim for an amount of Rs 5 lakh.
Thousands of pilgrims gather on Sagar Island every year in the month of January to take a dip at the confluence of the Hooghly River and the Bay of Bengal and offer prayers at the Kapil Muni Ashram.
