Kolkata: Infrastructure developed by the Mamata Banerjee government to ensure better facilities for pilgrims during Gangasagar Mela has now come as a boon for residents of Sagar Island, as the same establishments have now been turned to quarantine centres to fight against COVID-19. Banerjee was the first Chief Minister of the state to visit Sagar Island almost every year ahead of the Gangasagar Mela, during which lakhs of people pour into the island to take holy dip at the confluence of river Ganga and Bay of Bengal. During her visits she supervised the development work and her steps have ensured an overall development of the entire island. The area around the Kapil Muni ashram has been given a completely new look, with a beautification project implemented by the state government. At the same time, permanent structures have been constructed where health centre is set up during the Gangasagar Mela that takes place in January every year. The same establishment has now been transformed into a 50-bed quarantine centre. "Construction of the permanent structures here has come as a boon for the residents of the island in this emergency situation. There was no such structure earlier where quarantine centre could be set up. All these have been constructed following directions of the Chief Minister," said a local resident of the island. In the past few days as many as 3,200 migrant labourers returned to their houses at Sagar Island. On Friday morning, 123 labourers managed to return from Burdwan. All had passed through necessary medical tests at the local hospital and they are at present in self-isolation in their houses. Health workers visit their houses on regular basis and check whether they have any symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone is yet to be found with any such symptom. But the administration has kept all arrangement ready at the quarantine centre that has been set up at the permanent structure that was brought up at a cost of Rs 3 crore in 2018. Gangasagar Bakkhali Development Authority had developed the structure. Local MLA Bankim Hazra said: "No one has been brought to the quarantine centre yet. But it has been kept ready with all necessary arrangement. Some migrant workers from Sagar Island are stuck at Thirumala in Kerala. The Chief Minister has written to her counterparts of 18 states in this regard."

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