PURI: Puri district reported 219 new Covid cases on Monday but the steady arrival of Kumbh Mela returnees has put the administration on the tenterhooks.Pilgrims from the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar, which was stopped abruptly following a spurt in Covid cases, are returning to Puri through trains and private vehicles. Sources said hundreds of devotees from Puri district including a large number of Sri Jagannath temple servitors and their families had gone to participate in the Kumbh Mela.
In a bid to stem the virus spread from infected pilgrims, the administration has opened a registration counter at Puri railway station. After thermal screening, the returnees’ journey details and mobile phone numbers are being noted. The pilgrims are being advised to remain in home isolation. On the day, 22 servitors returned from Haridwar and their swab samples were collected for RT-PCR test. They were advised to remain in home isolation till their report comes, informed Puri SP K Vishal Singh.
While arrivals at railway station are being monitored, locals said devotees coming in vehicles by road are entering Puri town freely without any restrictions. They said a monitoring unit should be deployed at the Pipili toll plaza. So far, 25 servitors of Srimandir, five temple employees and 19 shoe stand attendants have tested positive for Covid-19.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has readied a 120-bed Covid care centre operating from Nilachal Bhakta Nivas for servitors. This apart, the district administration has opened Covid facilities in the infectious disease hospital (IDH) and Gopabandhu Ayurveda Medical College and Hospital in the city. Besides, Covid care units are being made operational in Gop and Brahmagiri blocks.
Meanwhile, the new standard operating procedure (SOP) for Sri Jagannath temple was enforced from Monday. Three police teams are working in shifts to ensure observance of Covid norms. Sources said the attendance of devotees at Srimandir has reduced drastically.