PURI: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday reviewed the final preparations for the ensuing Rath Yatra and laid stress on smooth conduct of rituals and safety of devotees. At the special review meeting of Rath Yatra, he also asked servitors of the temple to perform the rituals on time. Informing him about the health measures being put in place for the annual festival,
Chief District Medical Officer Amarendra Nath Mohanty said 187 doctors, 400 para-medical staff and 30 ambulances would be deployed during the nine-day festival. A total of 117 additional beds will be kept ready in the District Headquarters Hospital. Besides, 200 bottles of blood of different groups will be kept in the hospital for emergency.
At least 200 more passenger buses would ply to the city and a number of spaces have been earmarked for parking vehicles. No toll charges will be collected from any vehicle at the tollgate at Pipili along NH-316 on Rath Yatra, Bahuda Yatra and Sunabesha. As many as 973 sanitation workers will be deployed by the civic body for cleaning the city during the festival days, informed Municipality Executive Officer Bijay Das.
As far as security is concerned, 155 platoons of police personnel besides 100 officers of various ranks and police in plain clothes will be deployed in the city which will be brought under CCTV surveillance. To meet drinking water needs of devotees, 41 water tankers would be stationed at various places in the city.
Officials of CESU said that while supply of power has been restored in the city, generator sets will be provided in areas where there is no electricity.
Ministers of various departments, local MP Pinaki Mishra, MLA Jayant Kumar Sarangi, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, DGP RP Sharma and District Magistrate Balwant Singh were present. After the meeting, the Chief Minister launched an incense stick manufacturing programme ‘Mangaldeep’ which will be implemented by ITC in collaboration with Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and ORMAS.
While ITC will provide the raw materials to women SHGs of Puri district, the manufactured incense sticks will be packed and marketed by ORMAS. On sale of every pack of incense sticks, Rs 1 to Rs 2 will go to the SJTA.Briefing mediapersons, ITC CEO Ravi Rayavaram and Executive Director B Sumant said the venture is unique as the incense sticks will be made with fragrances of Kasturi, Chandan, Tulsi and Neem which are used in rituals of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra.
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