Centre not giving due recognition to Gangasagar Mela: Mamata

Sagar Island: Questioning the alleged indifference of the Centre towards Gangasagar Mela, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, said it deserves a national status and hoped that UNESCO will accord a heritage status to the fair.

“The Centre does not give a single penny for hosting the Gangasagar Mela and the entire expenditure is borne by the state. I feel this is one of the greatest religious fair in the world. Kumbh Mela enjoys connectivity in terms of rail and road but to reach Gangasagar Mela, the pilgrims have to travel through waterways. Last year, 80 lakh pilgrims visited the Mela. I wrote several times to the Centre seeking national status for the fair which meets all the parameters in terms of pilgrim footfall and the due importance assigned to it but we have received no response. Centre is not giving due recognition to this Mela,” Banerjee said after offering her prayers at Kapil Muni Temple at Gangasagar.

She regretted that despite requesting the Centre for funds for the construction of a bridge on the Muriganga River to improve connectivity to the Gangasagar, no response has come yet. “The construction of the bridge will entail huge expenditure so we hoped to get financial help from the Centre. However, due to their indifference, the state government is preparing a detailed project report to find out the estimated expenditure for its construction,” she added.

Apart from the incumbent chief secretary B.P Gopalika, the chief minister was also accompanied by two former chief secretaries H K Dwivedi and Alapan Bandopadhyay. “The state government does not bid goodbye to the bureaucrats immediately after they attain 60 years of age. Those administrative veterans whom we feel have the experience and expertise in handling administration efficiently are engaged in the day-to-day administrative affairs,” Banerjee said. Her statement assumes significance against the backdrop of a demand for an age bar in politics.