The Kamrup Metro district administration has awarded the NGOs and individuals who didn’t use plastic materials during food distribution and other activities during the recently concluded Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati.
Around 20 lakh visitors from different parts of the country and abroad visited Guwahati during the four-day religious festival.
“We are thankful to all the stakeholders and organizations for their cooperation which helped us to organize the mela of that scale in a successful manner. The participation of the organizations has been very encouraging. We have also witnessed less use of plastic products,” said deputy commissioner Virendra Mittal after felicitating the organizations and NGOs for their cleanliness efforts on Friday.
Out of the 13 participating organizations who distributed foods in the designated camps and streets, Maa Kamakhya Sewa Trust, Maa Kamakhya Nag Baba Sewa Samiti, Sukrewar Baba Sewa Samiti, Dispur Sewa Samiti, Fancy Bazar Bole Bom Samiti and Odalbakra Yuva Sangha were felicitated for their cleanliness measures.
At least 25,000 pilgrims were accommodated at a time at the camps at Naharbari, Pandu, Kamakhya Railway station, Boripara, Tarun Sangha and at the premises of the old jail at Fancy Bazaar.
Ambubachi Mela, an annual affair, was organized at the Kamakhya temple from June 22 to June 26. Considered as the biggest religious congregation in eastern India, lakhs of devotees belonging to the Shakti sect of Hinduism take part in the mela, which is believed to be the seat of tantric cult.
Jai Maa Kamakhya Seva Samiti and Guwahati unit of Marwari Yuva Mancha have been feted for their hygienic way of distributing water to the devotees and visitors at the temple.
Representatives of the 21 such organizations were given certificates by the administration.
“It was a great moment for us. Ambubachi Mela is a holy festival and it’s our pride. We are happy to be appreciated by the district administration. I hope this will create a positive atmosphere among the people and the organizations as well,” said a member of Jai Maa Kamakhya Seva Samiti.
