BHUBANESWAR: Chances of Rath Yatra has brightened with the Odisha Government agreeing to make necessary arrangements to conduct the festival scheduled on June 23 if it is confined to Puri alone in a limited way without public attendance as proposed by Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb.
The government announced its stand in the affidavit submitted by Principal Resident Commissioner of the Odisha government SK Mishra in the Supreme Court on Monday. Hearing in the Supreme Court on a bunch of petitions seeking modification of its June 18 order staying the Ratha Yatra has already started. Sources maintained that the State Government as well as the Centre have agreed to conduct the Ratha Yatra at Puri without any public congregation by adhering to all the Covid-19 guidelines.
The state government maintained in its affidavit that its apprehension was primarily related to thousands of Ratha Yatras taking place all over the State. Lakhs of people attend the Ratha Yatras held at different parts of the state which is observed in every gram panchayat, it said and added that more than five lakh migrants have returned to Odisha since May, 2020. Besides, most of them are likely to complete their quarantine period by the end of June, 2020, it said.
The affidavit also maintained that with the onset of monsoon, Covid-19 pandemic is also likely to peak in Odisha during June and July. The pandemic has killed lakhs of people across the globe and so far Odisha has handled the pandemic in an efficient manner with lowest mortality rate in the country, it said and added that any congregation during the period can lead to loss of lives and serious public health hazards.
However, the government maintained in the affidavit that if the Ratha Yatra is confined to Puri alone in a limited way without public attendance as proposed by Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb, who is also chairman of the Puri Jagannath Temple Administration, the state government will endeavour to make necessary arrangements to conduct the Ratha Yatra accordingly.