Shree Jagannath Temple Administration to review SOP today

The spread of infection among the servitor community of Srimandir has already become a cause of concern for the administration.
Shree Jagannath Temple
Shree Jagannath Temple

PURI: With Covid infection surging, stricter restrictions for entry into the Sri Jagannath Temple may return. The temple management will hold consultations with the stakeholders including Chhatisha Nijoga and Puri district administration on Friday.

The spread of infection among the servitor community of Srimandir has already become a cause of concern for the administration. On Thursday, 112 positive cases were reported from Puri district, taking the tally to 642. So far, 10 members of the servitor families, five Srimandir employees and 10 staff of the Sri Jagannath temple shoe stand have been infected by Covid-19.

In view of the emerging situation, Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration Dr Krishan Kumar will hold a virtual meeting with Collector Samarth Verma, SP K Vishal Singh and members of the Chhatisha Nijoga. Sources said the meeting will discuss revision of the standard operating procedure (SOP) for pilgrims which may include bringing back mandatory RTPCR negative certificate for entry into the shrine while increasing surveillance.

The administration has already intensified efforts to protect the servitors who are key to rituals of the deities. A vaccination drive is underway while RT-PCR tests of servitors are being carried out for the sixth time. This apart, all servitors have been administered homoeopathy immunity booster doses for the fifth time. A number of health teams are conducting door-to-door survey of all servitors to detect symptomatic persons. They are also collecting data of persons who have visited the servitor families in recent days. 
Besides, police have been engaged to strictly enforce Covid guidelines among the devotees entering the temple. Violators are being fined during surprise checks across the district.

Temple administrator AK Jena said contact tracing of infected servitors is underway. They are in home isolation and being treated accordingly. Health teams are conducting thermal screening of passengers from Maharashtra, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Gujarat at Puri railway station. Persons with symptoms are being isolated and made to undergo RT-PCR test. So far, one devotee from Gujarat has been detected with the virus and sent to Covid hospital for treatment. The administration is planning to reopen the Covid hospital and quarantine centres again to contain the virus spread.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com