Gangasagar Island: After Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Kakdwip, she reviewed the Gangasagar Mela preparations and met the administrative officials after which arrangements are now in place to provide the pilgrims with a hassle-free experience during the holy dip. An integrated control room has been set up to monitor the situation and a Ham radio team will also be there to trace missing persons along with help from the district administration. "We have set up lost and found counters at different locations. This apart control rooms have also been put in place. If anyone comes and reports of a missing person then we will trace them. In a bid to find missing person easily, we are putting barcoded strips on the hands of children and senior citizens who are unable to walk or are very weak. The barcoded strips contain all the pieces of information of the people such as their mobile number and others such details. It will help us to trace the missing person easily. A Ham radio team will also be deployed at Gangasagar Mela," said Dr P Ulanganathan, District Magistrate (DM) of South 24-Parganas. It might be mentioned that the Chief Minister was at Sagar Island to take stock of the arrangements of the mela. During her visit, she also conducted administrative meeting with the officials. The state government had initiated the necessary planning from September 2019, onwards to ensure a safe and secure Gangasagar Mela 2020, that takes place at Sagar Island in January every year where lakhs of pilgrims from all over the country turn up to take a holy dip at the confluence of river Ganga. This year breath analysers will also be used at the mela to check on drivers if they are in an inebriated state. Also, a Sagar Bandhu — a civil defence department volunteer — will be deployed for vigilance. "We do an 8-hour shift. The rush of pilgrims will start from January 14 and continue till January 16. During these days we keep vigil for 24 hours," said A Mondal, a police official. Around 600 drivers have been trained by the state Transport department to drive on Sagar Island to avoid accidents. There will be three camp offices at different locations. Besides, six flying squads will be deployed for patrolling 24x7. "Our Ham radio team will reach Gangasagar Mela on January 9. Nowadays, a person can trace his missing relative or friend from any part of the country. They need to log on to hamradio.in and lodge a complaint online. "They need to furnish details of the missing person and we will trace them," said Ambarish Nag Biswas, custodian and secretary of West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC).

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