PURI: The district administration on Thursday lifted restriction on cremation of bodies from outside Puri at Swargadwar. In a release, Puri Collector Samarth Verma stated last rites of non-Covid bodies from outside the district can be performed at the cremation ground from Thursday onwards.
However, only 10 persons would be allowed to accompany a body to Swargadwar. They have to strictly adhere to Covid guidelines while performing last rites.
Meanwhile, hundreds of vendors and members of Jagannath Sena, a local outfit, staged jal satyagraha at Puri beach demanding the reopening of Srimandir.
Convenor of the outfit Priyadarshan Pattnaik said while commercial establishments including markets, shopping malls, bars and hotels are allowed to run, the 12th century shrine is closed for devotees.
Leader of beach vendor association Shivam Maharaj said for their livelihood, majority of the town people depend on tourists visiting Puri to offer prayers to the Trinity. Since the shrine is closed, devotees have stopped coming to Puri. This has put small businessmen in deep trouble. “We are at the brink of starvation. The administration should reopen the temple for devotees at the earliest,” he added.
Temple administrator AK Jena said a meeting of the Chhatisha Nijog (body of servitors) has been convened on January 28 to discuss the issue of reopening Srimandir. The administration has closed Srimandir from January 10 to 31 in the wake of a spike in new Covid cases in Puri.