By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Ashish Kumar Singh, Under Secretary (DM) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, in a letter bearing no-40-10/2020/DM-1(A) dated May 7, to Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy has informed that the Ministry has permitted for Chariots construction of Lord Jagannath for the ensuing Rath Yatra but the Ministry has said that the holding of Rath Yatra in July will be decided by the State Government.
“The Rath construction activities in the Rath Khalam which is situated on the both side of Grand Road in front of the Temple office and Sri Nahar(Palace) be immediately permitted,” Union Under Secretary , Singh replied to Odisha Chief Secretray Tripathy’s missive bearing no 829/SH dated May 6.
The letter , copy of which is available with www.indianewsdiary.com, said no religious congregation takes place in the Ratha Khala, as it is a work place and not a public place accessible to general public. However, for effective COVID-19 management, complete segregation of the Ratha Khala from adjourning Grand Road and adjourning properties by erecting a cloth partition wall so that public can be effectively prohibited, it said.
The letter further said that the lockdown guidelines of the Union Government given in its order bearing no 40-3/2020-DM-1(A) dated May 1, 2020 and the national directive for COVID-19 management , will be fully implemented.
Meanwhile, the MHA has said the decision regarding holding of Rath Yatra taken by the State Government keeping in view the conditions prevailing at that point of time.
On May 4, Puri King Gajapati Dibya Singha Deb had said that the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, which met , resolved to go ahead with the construction of chariots for the Annual Rath Jatra of Lord Jagannath scheduled to be held on June 23 and after that State Government written to the MHA.
