Bengal govt opens control room for registering of complaints during Gangasagar Mela

The West Bengal government hasopened a control room for registering of any complaint andgrievance in connection with the Gangasagar Mela which beganon Tuesday at Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district, anofficial said.

Apart from the State Emergency Control Room, publicgrievances and complaints can also be lodged with the districtadministration.

Complaints can be lodged with the control room roundthe clock through its helpline numbers 1070 and 033 22143526,he said.

Lakhs of pilgrims from across the country and abroadflock to the Sagar Island -- about 130 km from Kolkata -- totake the holy dip at the confluence of the Hooghly river andthe Bay of Bengal on the occasion of ''Makar Sankranti''.

They also offer prayers at the Kapil Muni Ashramduring the Gangasagar fair, considered to be the second-largest congregation after the Kumbh Mela.

Makar Sankranti marks the end of the winter solsticemonth and beginning of longer days.

According to the calendar, the timings of the holy dipthis year will be for 24 hours from 6.02 am on January 14.

Around 50 lakh people visited the fair last year, butdue to the COVID-19 pandemic the authorities expect the numberof pilgrims will go down this time, the official said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had saidthat her government has made arrangements for 'e-snan (e-bathing)' for those who will not be able to come to the islandfor the annual ritual at the confluence of the Hooghly riverand the Bay of Bengal due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Arrangements have also been made to send the holywater and 'prasad' to anyone who orders for these from anypart of the country at a nominal delivery fee, she said,adding that COVID-19 safety protocols would be maintained atthe Gangasagar Mela which will end on January 16.

All people at the fair will be provided with aninsurance cover of Rs 5 lakh from January 8 to 16, she hadsaid.

She had on January 4 urged pilgrims to go to theannual fair in smaller numbers this year in view of theCOVID-19 crisis.

Banerjee said that there would be 13 medical screeningcamps at all major entry points to the fair where COVID-19tests would be conducted for the pilgrims.

She said that a 600-bed COVID hospital and sixwellness centres were set up at the Gangasagar Mela site.

About 9,000 police personnel are being deployed in andaround the island to prevent any untoward incident, theofficial said.

Around 1,050 CCTV cameras will be installed and 20drones will be flown to ensure proper crowd management, hesaid.

In a bid to provide a smooth transportation facilityto the pilgrims, 2,750 government and private buses, fivebarges, 32 vessels and 100 launches have been pressed intoservice.