KOLKATA: The Bengal government told Calcutta High Court on Thursday that it was not in favour of banning the Gangasagar Mela at this late stage with 30,000 people already visiting the mela and another 50,000 reaching Bengal on the way to the congregation.
The Bengal government said no person with suspected Covid symptoms will be allowed to go to Gangasagar. They will be tested and if positive, their entire team will be quarantined. The state has also made it clear to the HC that only those pilgrims, who are vaccinated with both the doses, will be allowed to move towards Gangasagar Mela or they must show a RAT negative test report. A division bench of chief justice Prakash Shrivastava and justice Kesang Doma Bhutia is expected to pass an order soon. The state told the HC that it expects that the total turnout at the mela will drop sharply to 4-5 lakh from January 6 to 15. The state told the HC that from January 9, it will deploy 10,000 cops, 5,000 volunteers and around 735 medical staff at Gangasagar. CM Mamata Banerjee refused to comment. “This is sub-judice, I can’t say anything,” she told reporters. At another point she said that she had also received a letter from Dilip Maharaj (Bharat Sevashram Sangha general secretary) saying most of the monks, who were to serve as volunteers in the Gangasagar Mela, had fallen ill due to the pandemic. The Maharaj later said that despite the problems, they are keeping a team of volunteers ready to help the state government for emergency. The Sangha has a long association in working with the state government to helping it organise the congregation.
The state said it will be impossible to vaccinate all pilgrims, instead all the locals in Sagar Islands and those hemming it will be vaccinated. State officials and staffers will have to test negative 72 hours before reporting for work. The state said the entire local population of Sagar Islands has been doubly vaccinated along with all officials who will be deployed at the Gangasagar Mela. Besides, a 50km temporary barricade has been put up to regulate the crowds that will be monitored with the help of 1,050 CCTVs and 20 drones.
The state also told the HC that as per experts Covid transmission due to bathing in the river or saline water is extremely low. The state says that e-snan (E-bathing) by doorstep delivery of packaged drinking water will be made available and there will also be an e-darshan (e-broadcasting) facility of Gangasagar Mela.
Lawyer Srijb Chakraborty questioned the logic of closing down KIFF and Joydev Kenduli Mela, which has much lesser footfall, but not Gangasagar, which by the state’s own admission will have five lakh people.
The Bengal government said no person with suspected Covid symptoms will be allowed to go to Gangasagar. They will be tested and if positive, their entire team will be quarantined. The state has also made it clear to the HC that only those pilgrims, who are vaccinated with both the doses, will be allowed to move towards Gangasagar Mela or they must show a RAT negative test report. A division bench of chief justice Prakash Shrivastava and justice Kesang Doma Bhutia is expected to pass an order soon. The state told the HC that it expects that the total turnout at the mela will drop sharply to 4-5 lakh from January 6 to 15. The state told the HC that from January 9, it will deploy 10,000 cops, 5,000 volunteers and around 735 medical staff at Gangasagar. CM Mamata Banerjee refused to comment. “This is sub-judice, I can’t say anything,” she told reporters. At another point she said that she had also received a letter from Dilip Maharaj (Bharat Sevashram Sangha general secretary) saying most of the monks, who were to serve as volunteers in the Gangasagar Mela, had fallen ill due to the pandemic. The Maharaj later said that despite the problems, they are keeping a team of volunteers ready to help the state government for emergency. The Sangha has a long association in working with the state government to helping it organise the congregation.
The state said it will be impossible to vaccinate all pilgrims, instead all the locals in Sagar Islands and those hemming it will be vaccinated. State officials and staffers will have to test negative 72 hours before reporting for work. The state said the entire local population of Sagar Islands has been doubly vaccinated along with all officials who will be deployed at the Gangasagar Mela. Besides, a 50km temporary barricade has been put up to regulate the crowds that will be monitored with the help of 1,050 CCTVs and 20 drones.
The state also told the HC that as per experts Covid transmission due to bathing in the river or saline water is extremely low. The state says that e-snan (E-bathing) by doorstep delivery of packaged drinking water will be made available and there will also be an e-darshan (e-broadcasting) facility of Gangasagar Mela.
Lawyer Srijb Chakraborty questioned the logic of closing down KIFF and Joydev Kenduli Mela, which has much lesser footfall, but not Gangasagar, which by the state’s own admission will have five lakh people.
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