Mamata demands national status for West Bengal's Ganga Sagar Mela

The Centre has been providing huge funds to Kumbh Mela but nothing to Ganga Sagar Mela, said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She demanded national status to the annual Ganga Sagar Mela to be held Sagar Island from January 8 to 16 this year.

Sagar Island (West Bengal):West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sought on Wednesday that the Centre should give national status to the annual Ganga Sagar Mela to be held here next week. The Chief Minister claimed that the Centre has not heard her repeated demands for building a bridge over the Muri Ganga river that will help pilgrims reach Sagar Island at ease.

“The Central government has been providing huge funds to the Kumbh Mela. But it is not providing anything to Gangasagar Mela. That is the reason that I will request them to declare it as a national fair so that we can get some funds,” Mamata said. The CM landed at Sagar Island on Wednesday afternoon to oversee the preparations for Ganga Sagar Mela to be held from January 8 to 16.

Millions of Hindu pilgrims congregate at Sagar Island from nook and corner of the country and beyond for a holy dip at the confluence of the sacred Ganga and the Bay of Bengal to commemorate the 'Makar Sankranti'. Mamata inaugurated three helipads in Ganga Sagar. The programme was conducted according to the predetermined schedule.

Meanwhile, a Kolkata journalist suffered a cardiac attack while on duty during the chief minister's visit ahead of Ganga Sagar Mela 2023. Mamata arranged to bring him back to Kolkata by helicopter. She ordered officials to extend help according to the instructions and recommendations of the doctors. At the same time, she inaugurated three permanent helipads on which Rs 5 crore has been spent.