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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting on Wednesday regarding preparations for the Gangasagar Mela 2024 at the State Secretariat, Nabanna.
The meeting was attended by cabinet ministers and secretaries of different departments. During the meeting, Mamata Banerjee announced that the fair would be held with extensive security and amenities. This includes a strict police vigil, 200 km of barricades, 1150 CCTV cameras, 20 drones, 2400 civil defence forces, and 50 fire engines. Additionally, there will be accident insurance of Rs 5 lakh per person, 6,500 volunteers, and 10,000 toilets. "There will be strict police vigil... 200 kilometres long barricades to control the crowd, 1150 CCTV cameras, 20 drones, 2400 civil defence forces, and 50 fire engines will be there in the fair from January 9-17. There will be accident insurance of Rs 5 lakh per person. 6,500 volunteers and a provision of 10,000 toilets will also be there," Mamata Banerjee said. The Gangasagar Mela 2024 will start on January 8 and end on January 17. The Chief Minister also directed the administration to keep a close watch to avoid any untoward incidents in this regard. Mamata also asked the media to make arrangements to telecast this aarti live. Apart from this, she also informed that the number of buses is being increased for the convenience of pilgrims. "Our goal is to have an eco-friendly and green Ganasagar fair. To make the entire fair plastic-free, we will provide biodegradable carry bags," the CM said. Further, she said, "300 beds will be set up for medical facilities. In addition, there will also be arrangements for an intensive care unit in Sagar, and first aid facilities will be available everywhere at the fair. Sufficient doctors, nurses, and paramedics will be present everywhere. In addition, arrangements have been made for air ambulances and water ambulances, totalling 61 ambulances." "10,000 police personnel will be deployed for the event. There will also be arrangements for patrolling the river," the Chief Minister added. "Unless essential, VIPs will not be permitted to enter the Mela in convoys. This type of VIP activity amid the crowd can lead to issues," she stated. She further clarified that this rule will apply to VIPs from other states too. "Gangasagar, the largest and oldest living tradition in Bengal, has been mentioned in Indian epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata, indicating its existence as early as 400 BCE. Legends suggest that the first Kapil Muni temple was constructed by Queen Satyabhama in 430 AD, and the present idol was established by Swami Ramanand in 1437, marking the beginning of a pilgrimage that remains timeless till today," as per the Gangasagar official website. The Gangasagar Mela is celebrated during the auspicious period of Makar Sankranti. Sankranti refers to a period when the sun transits from one Rashi into another. It is believed that astrologically, the sun enters the Makar Rashi (house of Saturn), underscoring the importance of relationships. "The story of Gangasagar is that of Moksha. The liberation from the circle of life and death It narrates the tale of how Bhagirath freed the souls of 60,000 sons from the eternal flames of hell after performing their last rites with water from the holy Ganges," as per the Gangasagar Mela website. "Gangasagar Mela is the world's second-largest human congregation at the confluence of the holy river Ganga and the Bay of Bengal after Kumbh. The island is quite large, with an area of 224.3 km located on the continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal, about 100 km south of Kolkata," the website stated. (ANI)
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