By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/PURI: Puri King Gajapati Dibya Singha Deb was on Monday said that the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, which met , has resolved to go ahead with the construction of chariots for the Annual Rath Jatra of Lord Jagannath scheduled to be held on June 23. Chief Administrator SJTA Dr Krishan Kumar was present in the meeting.
The process was started from Akshya Tritiya. “The Managing Committee meeting today unanimously decided to go for chariot construction as it is not a religious function, rather an activity associated with construction,” Gajapati told Media after the meeting. Gajapati however, made it clear that the final decision on the matter would be taken by the State Government.
With pilgrimage city of Puri is in ‘Green Zone’ and has so far not reported any COVID-19 case, the Gajapati said therefore, there should be no restriction on construction of Chariots.Deb said it was decided at the meeting that construction of chariots was not any religious function and is associated with construction work, which is allowed by the Ministry of Home Affairs in all three zones — red, orange and green –during the ongoing lockdown.
The Recommendations of the SJTMC has been sent to the State Government for taking final decision in this regard. Chariots construction could not start in view of the lockdown imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
