By Our Correspondent
PURI/BHUBANESWAR: With people friendly senior IAS Officer , Dr Krishan Kumar at the helm of affairs of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, SJTA is missing no stone unturned to reached out to COVID-19 affected servitors and employees. With Dr Kumar taking pro-active role, SJTA has urged State Government to accord COVID-19 warrior status to of two of its employees.
SJTA Chief Administrator Dr Kumar has written a letter to Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, PK Mohapatra, in this regard.In his letter, Dr.Kumar also mentioned that two personnel of the Jagannatha Temple Police (JTP) of SJTA have already succumbed to complications out of Covid-19 so far. They are—JTP, Pruthimanyu Dash (58) and Charcha Amin, Pramod Kumar Dash (59).
Pruthimanyu was passed away enroute to a COVID hospital in Bhubaneswar from Puri on 21 April this year while Pramod died on 25 May at SUM Hospital here.“The above two officials may be provided necessary financial assistance as per the same norms as being provided to other officials in similar circumstances,” he added.The Chief Administrator requested Mohapatra to declare all such officials of the Temple Administration as COVID Warriors for extension of benefits as deeded by State Government from time to time.
The employees of Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration Puri are involved discharging various duties during this COVID-19 Pandemic includes taking care of the Covid positive persons in the Institutional Isolation Facility (IIF) at Nilachala Bhakta Nivas and assisting the Medical Teams in vaccination of sevayats & employees, Dr.Kumar said in his letter.
The Rath Jatra is scheduled on 12 July. As many as 88 persons including 40 carpenters, 31 Bhoi servitors, 13 Blacksmiths and four Temple officials are working at the yard since Akshaya Tritiya, 15 May.Three Maharana servitors and five Bhoi servitors of the 88 servitors have tested Positive before entering Rath Khala at the time of screening.
