Sagar Island:
Asserting that over one crore pilgrims go to Gangasagar Mela every year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday demanded that the Centre declare the non secular congregation as a nationwide truthful.
She additionally accused the central authorities of not holding its promise of constructing a bridge over a river connecting Sagar Island with the mainland.
“We’ve executed every thing for Gangasagar. The central authorities offers a fund price a number of 1000’s of crores of rupees for the Kumbh Mela. Over a crore of individuals come to Gangasagar Mela every year. I’ve been repeatedly telling them to declare this as a nationwide mela, however the request falls on deaf ears,” Ms Banerjee stated.
She stated that folks can go to Kumbh Mela by way of a number of routes, however reaching Sagar Island for the Gangasagar Mela is a strenuous job.
Ms Banerjee alleged that the central authorities didn’t sustain its promise to construct a bridge to assist pilgrims attain Sagar Island simply.
“We’ve been attempting to attach this place with a bridge. I’ve as soon as spoken to the central authorities. One minister had promised to construct a bridge. I waited for 3 to 4 years they usually did nothing.
“I’ve began believing that they (Centre) won’t ever give us the funds. So what we must do is assemble the bridge regardless of the monetary disaster. We’ve already performed a survey and tender floated,” she added.
It’s going to take three to 4 years to finish the construction and the expense will likely be round Rs 1,500 crore, Ms Banerjee stated.
“It will likely be a troublesome job. A hasty job might result in the collapse of the bridge,” she stated.
The chief minister stated that her authorities has revamped infrastructure for Gangasagar Mela and constructed a helipad.
In the meantime, Ms Banerjee requested a senior priest of the Kapil Muni Ashram to make use of the funds they obtain to assemble a concrete construction to cease the ocean from advancing.
“The ocean is approaching and now and again it comes nearer to the Kapil Muni temple. You get a number of funds for the ashram and also you ship them to UP. I can’t intrude with that. However when you take some half from that fund and canopy the encompassing space with concrete, then it could possibly be a everlasting answer,” she stated.
The seaside in entrance of Kapil Muni Temple has been witnessing erosion following an increase within the sea stage.
“We do it as a lot as we will. We don’t take any cash from you. We spent lots to conduct dredging, to construct jetties, to arrange hospitals, and prepare for transportation,” she stated.
Banerjee stated that she has directed Chief Secretary Manoj Pant to chalk out a plan to create separate sub-divisions for Gosaba and Patharpratima and one other for Sandeshkhali and Hingalganj meeting constituencies.
“These are far-off locations surrounded by water throughout. These will certainly assist the locals in getting their authorities jobs executed with ease,” she stated. PTI SCH NN
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)