BHUBANESWAR: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri on Wednesday emphasized on strict compliance with Covid appropriate behaviour and discipline among servitors during Rath Yatra on July 12.
“Like last year, all eyes are on us as the Supreme Court has banned Rath Yatra across the country except at Puri. The festival will be telecast live and watched by millions of viewers across the globe. If the chariots remain crowded by servitors and they do not wear masks, it will set a wrong precedence and raise question on our management,” said a senior temple official, who was present at a virtual meeting chaired by Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, chairman of Jagannath temple managing committee, on Wednesday.
The administration has reasons to worry as the unpalatable conduct and indiscipline of some servitors on chariots during Rath Yatra had left the government red-faced in the past.
Sources said Deb asked the Puri district administration and SJTA to sensitize the servitors about Covid-appropriate norms.
Deb also said only a limited number of servitors should be allowed to stay on the chariots when they pulled from Jagannath temple to Gundicha temple (birthplace of the deities) on the Grand Road.
In compliance with last year’s Supreme Court order, the state government earlier announced to allow at least 500 servitors to pull each of the three chariots.
However, the government has not yet clarified the exact number of servitors, who would be present on the chariots.
The district administration would launch a 3-day Covid testing programme for servitors and temple staff from Thursday ahead of the Rath Yatra.
As decided earlier, only the ones (servitors and shrine staff) testing negative and fully vaccinated would be allowed to take part in Rath.
“I appeal to the servitors to get tested during the three days at our designated testing centres. Those, whose second dose is due, should also take it before Rath,” Puri district collector Samarth Verma said.
Sources said at least 3000 servitors and 1000 temple staff are likely to undergo the RT-PCR test before Rath Yatra.
So far, altogether 7592 persons comprising servitors, their family members and temple employees have already taken the first dose of Covishield and 4484 have been inoculated with the second dose.
The temple administration set a target to fully vaccinate around 8500 persons (servitors, their families and shrine staff) before Rath Yatra.
