Kolkata: The Gangasagar Mela 2026 concluded on Friday with a large-scale post-mela beach cleanliness drive across Sagar Island, as the South 24-Parganas district administration deployed nearly 3,000 sanitation workers to clean six major sea-front stretches, restoring the coastline within a day.
State ministers Aroop Biswas, Bankim Hazra, Becharam Manna, Sujit Bose, Snehasis Chakraborty and Pulak Roy, along with district magistrate Arvind Kumar Meena, participated in the cleanliness campaign and interacted with sanitation workers.
Aroop Biswas said around 1.3 crore pilgrims visited the mela and that it was conducted without compromising cleanliness. Calling it one of the most environment-friendly religious congregations globally, Biswas said: “To my knowledge, there is no other mela anywhere in the world that is as environment-friendly as this. People come to this organised mela, take the holy dip and leave. And our 3,000 beach guard friends immediately pick up anything that is left behind.”
He said the contribution of sanitation workers often went unnoticed despite being central to maintaining the sanctity of the coastline. “They deserve our salute. Their dedication ensured the sea beaches remained clean throughout the mela,” Biswas said.
Reiterating the demand for national fair status for Gangasagar, Biswas said: “Whether or not someone declares it a national fair does not matter. When people from across India and abroad participate in such numbers, that itself is recognition.”
Minister Becharam Manna said the mela was held under Mission Nirmal Bangla to promote cleanliness and a plastic-free environment, with round-the-clock solid waste management and recycling. He said SHG women generated about Rs 50 lakh in sales by recycling discarded items, and announced plans to set up permanent waste and faecal sludge management units before the next mela.
Fire and Disaster Management Minister Sujit Bose said arrangements at Gangasagar had improved year after year and would continue to be strengthened.