By Our Correspondent
PURI/CUTTACK/BHUBANESWAR: Heavy-duty machinery or any other means like elephants may be consider in pulling the Lord Jagannath Chariots during Ratha Yatra in Puri, the Odisha High Court has directed the State Government acting on advocate Dillip Kumar Ray’s PIL that had sought intervention for use of machinery for pulling the chariots of the Holy Trinity in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Ratha Yatra is scheduled to be held on June 23.
Premananda Das Mohapatra , a leader of Daitapati Servitors’ Body while reacting to HC notice said elephants in pulling the chariots during Ratha Yatra in Puri may be good steps but deploying heavy-duty machinery will set a bad impression. “It was better, Servitors and security men shall deploy in pulling the chariots during Ratha Yatra,” Das Mohapatra said.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Biswajit Mohanty has made this observation.“We are inclined to observe that deploying heavy-duty machinery or any other means like elephants, than the man power, for pulling the chariots, would obviously obviate the necessity of involving large number of persons,” the division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Biswajit Mohanty said while disposing of the petition.
The bench further said, “It is therefore directed that this aspect should be duly considered by the Government while taking a decision for holding Rath Yatra, consistent with the guidelines issued by the Central and State governments.”The bench disposed of Ray’s petition along with the petition filed by Berhampur-based Bharatiya Bikash Parisha president Surendra Panigrahi seeking direction to stop conducting of Rath Yatra this year in view of the Covid-19 outbreak.
“This Court is inclined to hold that it is up to the State Government to decide whether or not to allow the Rath Yatra on June 23,” the bench observed.If however, any such decision is eventually taken, the state government shall ensure strict adherence to the directives issued by the Centre and the states own orders containing additional guidelines, the high court said in its 17-page order.
