Bengal govt mulls setting up of Gangasagar Mela e-snan mobile application

The West Bengal government is mulling to set up an e-snan mobile application of Gangasagar Mela next year, a senior official said on Friday. The e-snan mobile application would help those people who would not be able to visit the Gangasagar Mela due to the COVID-10 pandemic, he said.

"Those who will not be able to attend the upcoming Gangasagar Mela, the government is thinking of introducing a mobile application for e-snan. We already have an e-darshan app which we had launched last year. That can also be used by those who will not be able to come," the official said. A high-end meeting was held at the state secretariat on Thursday to take stock of the preparations for the Gangasagar Mela, scheduled next mid-January.

There was a discussion on the precautionary measures for pilgrims who will be visiting the pilgrimage next year, he said. "Our prime focus will be on the precautionary measures of the pilgrims to keep a check on the COVID-19 infection. We cannot afford anybody to fall prey to this disease. Hence, all forms of measures are being looked into," the bureaucrat said.

The administration is also focussing on arranging for COVID-19 tests for pilgrims and setting up of proper accommodations at the Mela area in South 24 Parganas district so that the safety protocols including physical distancing part are not violated. "Discussions are on and we are working ...," he added.

It was learnt that the state Irrigation department has been asked to complete dredging at the Sagar to ensure smooth sailing of the pilgrims to the island from the mainland, the official added. Every year on Makar Sankranti (generally falls on January 14), lakh of pilgrims gather at Sagar island to take a dip at the confluence of the Ganga and Bay of Bengal and offer prayers at the Kapil Muni Temple.