The Calcutta High Court on Friday allowed West Bengal to hold the Ganga Sagar Mela, but directed the constitution of a committee that can recommend restrictions on the state’s entry into Sagar Island, where the pilgrimage takes place, in case of violations. In. health safety standards.
A division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice KD Bhutia directed the state government to declare Sagar Island, where the annual fair is held, as a notified area in accordance with Section 3 of the Gangasagar Mela Act, 1976. This announcement will empower the state government to take measures for the health and safety of the devotees.
As per the order of the court, the proposed committee will consist of the Leader of the Opposition in the State or his representative, the Chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission or his representative and representatives of the State.
Civil rights groups in the state expressed surprise that the post of the chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission was vacant, noting that the committee was formed.
The court is on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking various directions to prohibit and regulate the gathering of pilgrims, sadhus and tourists at Sagar Island, about 130 km from Kolkata, during the Ganga Sagar Mela to be held from January 8. was listening. from 16.
The HC directed the authorities to fully implement the order dated January 8, 2021.
The court also directed the Home Secretary to “issue advertisements in dailies having wide circulation in the State of West Bengal and through electronic media to make the public aware of the risk of visiting Gangasagar Island between January 08 and 16, 2022”. Will gather and appeal to them to stay safe and avoid visiting Gangasagar Island during this period.
In the order, the court referred to the affidavit filed by the state government on January 6, where the government has said that the state is not in favor of banning the Gangasagar Mela at this stage, in view of the arrangements already made. The court’s order refers to the affidavit: “The affidavit states that around thirty thousand people have already visited the Mela Ground and about fifty thousand people including sadhus have come to different places and due to the COVID situation there is an influx of devotees. I have come Only four to five lakh pilgrims are expected to visit between January 06 and 15, 2022.
A few days ago, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also said that She could not ban or ban the Ganga Sagar Mela Because it was not a “state government program” and devotees from different parts of the country gather on the island.
Meanwhile, pilgrims have started arriving in the state for the Ganga Sagar Mela and camps have been set up at Kolkata Maidan and other areas of the city to accommodate them.
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