Lakhs of people have reached Sagar Island of West Bengal to take the makar snan – which started after Tuesday midnight that ushered in Makar Sankranti and will continue till Wednesday midnight.
Sagar Island lies in the Ganges delta, about 100 km south of Kolkata. It is also known as Gangasagar or Sagardwip, a place of Hindu pilgrimage where, on Makar Sankranti, lakhs of people take a holy dip at the confluence of River Ganges and the Bay of Bengal.
This year, around 30 lakh people are said to have already taken the holy dip for which they go on the pilgrimage, and another 10 lakh will do so on Wednesday.
Security personnel have been keeping a constant eye on the safety of the pilgrims, especially near the water. Security personnel have been asked to keep an eye especially on the tide timings and take special care for those pilgrims who will be out in the waters then so that no one is dragged out into the sea by receding waters.
A three-tier security has been put in place by the state administration and Indian Coast Guards. This includes patrol aircrafts, patrol vessels and hovercrafts on the sea and a patrol ship at the India-Bangladesh border. The waters of the Sagar Island and the sea area adjoining the island are being monitored by three radar stations – one of which is in the island, and the other two in Odisha. Additionally, 5,000 police personnel, 1,200 civil defence volunteers and 5,000 regular volunteers are providing round the clock vigil in the area.
Four hovercrafts have been deployed for ensuring pilgrim safety, of which two are constantly on surveillance in the waters. Smaller vessels are ensuring there is no drowning. Water divers are also present on duty along with speedboats and helicopters for emergency situations.
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