By Our Correspondent
PURI/BHUBANESWAR: With able IAS officer Dr Krishna Kumar at the helm of affairs, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration is missing no stone unturned to contain the COVID-19 outbreak during the Chariots construction for Lord Jagannath’s world famous Rath Yatra slated for July. With backed the directive of Union Home Ministry as well as Odisha Government, SJTA officials were on Saturday conducted a health sensitisation awareness programme Ratha Khala to create awareness on COVID-19 prevention among the Maharana and Bhoi servitors engaged in the chariot construction work.
The health team led by Puri CDMO Dr Nilakantha Mishra briefed the servitors about importance of hand wash, social distancing and quarantine. Officials of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) were also present during the awareness campaign.
In order to ensure the safety of the servitors and their contacts, a health team will be deployed at the temple premises for daily health screening of the servitors, Dr Mishra informed. He said, that servitors with flu-like symptoms or who have come in contact with any positive case would be segregated, their samples will be sent for testing and they would not be allowed into the ‘Ratha Khala’ till the test reports are found negative.
SJTA’s Development Administrator Ajay Kumar Jena informed that around 200 servitors engaged in the construction of chariots will be staying in isolation at Neeladri, Nilachal and Shree Gundicha Bhakta Niwas. Other than the health team deployed at the temple office, one more health team and a mobile health unit will be deployed for the accommodation facilities.Besides, another health team is being constituted for health checkup of families of the servitors. ADMO (Family Welfare) will be the coordinating officer of all four teams, he added.
