tomorrowSagar Island (WB), Jan 13 (PTI) Nearly 20 lakhdevotees from different corner of the country as wellcountries like Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh have gathered totake a holy dip at the confluence of river Ganga and Bay ofBengal on Makar Sankranti tomorrow.
"Last year around 15 lakh pilgrims had visited theGanga Sagar. This year already we have crossed that mark andnearly 20,00,000 people are here. We have made all thearrangements for them so that they can have a memorableouting here," South 24 Parganas district magistrate Y.
Ratnakara Rao told PTI today.
A thick blanket of security cover has been placed atthe famous spot. The state government has deployed around3,000 policemen and also pressed into service seven drones tokeep a tab on the security as well as the safety of pilgrimstaking a holy dip tomorrow.
In fact, for the first time the state government hasequipped its officials with satellite phones to ensureuninterrupted connectivity during the Ganga Sagar Mela.
"These satellite phones will ensure that communicationis not hampered even if there is an earthquake or a tsunami,among other things," another senior official of the stategovernment told PTI adding that 16 satellite phones has beengiven to the officers who will be on duty at criticallocations.
Incidentally, the state government has come up with aninnovative Sagar Sanjog Scheme, for providing real-timeinformation regarding the movement of transport facilities forpeople and vehicles too.
The state government has also decided to cover over100 km route from Babughat in Kolkata to the Sagar Island with500 CCTVs as a part of its security coverage for the grandannual fair.
The state disaster management department would begetting live feed from the mela area to help effectivelymonitor the proceedings there.
As a part of the security arrangements, the state hasalso introduced a real-time monitoring system — the TirthaSathi.
"Using the Tirtha Sathi senior administrative andpolice officers will be able to watch live footages of all thetransit and other crucial points, relayed via CCTV cameras, ontheir mobile phones," Rao said.
Besides, 60 giant LED screens have been placed atdifferent points through which pilgrims would be updated aboutthe timings and fare tariffs of trains, buses and ferries,tide timings as well as safety precautions.
"These information will be provided in three languagesBengali, Hindi and English to facilitate the largest number ofpilgrims," he said.
Talking more on the arrangements, Rao said that thecarrying-capacity of barges plying from Lot 8 on the mainlandto Kachuberia at the Sagar Island has been doubled this year.
Meanwhile, two battalion of the NDRF is deployed inGanga Sagar to mitigate any eventuality during Mela.
"This year total 85 personnel of 2 BN NDRF aredeployed at three different places. One team is deployed atLot 8, one deployed at Kachuberia and one deployed at Sagar.
Each team is well equipped with inflatable boats, deep divingsets , deep divers and flood rescue equipments," a releasequoting battalion commandant Nishith Upadhyay said.
NDRF boats and deep divers are patrolling 24X7 at allthree places inside water and keeping close eyes on pilgrimswho are passing through and taking holy dip at Sagar.
It must be mentioned that the NDRF has established itscontrol rooms at each places and maintaining close andcontinuous cooperation with local Mela administration there,it added.
In addition, the Coast Guard and the marine police andseveral security personnel have been deployed in the SagarIsland to manage the security of the several hundred thousandsof pilgrims. PTI SCH SNSRG.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.