State building Muriganga bridge without help from Centre: Mamata
The Centre has not given a single paisa to hold Gangasagar mela scheduled to be held from 8-17 January, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said today.
The Centre has not given a single paisa to hold Gangasagar mela scheduled to be held from 8-17 January, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said today.
While the state government announced that around 1.10 crore people took the holy bath in the Gangasagar Mela and its success despite no central grants
The state government today launched a massive cleanliness drive at Sagar Island to clean the garbage near Kapil Muni Ashram and the sea beach area.
The Shahi Snan(royal bath) of Makar Sankranti began at the Gangasagar Mela from midnight. The dense fog could not dampen the pilgrims’ spirit as they thronged the water.
The district administration of South 24-Parganas is expecting more than 60 lakh people to take the holy dip.
The CPI-M spokesperson Sujan Chakraborty said that on visiting South 24-Parganas district where the Gangasagar Mela is held one will see that the district authorities are shutting down all markets and shops since according to them, small village shops will spread Covid but a massive Gangasagar Mela that will draw lakhs of pilgrims supposedly has no chances of spreading Covid.
The state administration expects a huge turnout at the Gangasagar Mela this time. In view of which discussions were held as to how devotees can offer prayers while maintaining the Covid protocols. Miss Banerjee will hold an administrative review meeting at Gangasagar tomorrow to take stock of the grassroot level preparations for holding the mela.
The Gangasagar Mela 2022, according to the officials of the state administration, is expected to regain strength and it is expected to become a big draw this year as the Kumbh Mela is not scheduled.
The initiative, according to sources in the state transport department, is being taken by a Mumbai-based company.
The priest also said that the Centre is treating the mela with a step-motherly attitude, by not providing any assistance for the mega pilgrimage.
