PURI: The district administration’s move to restrict people from watching Rath Yatra proceedings on rooftops and balconies has not gone down well with residents living on both sides of the Bada Danda (Grand Road).
Aggrieved residents claimed that Puri Collector Samarth Verma had initially allowed only family members of houses along Bada Danda to witness the fete from rooftops and balconies but later made a U-turn and imposed the restriction.
Convenor of Jagannath Sena Priyadarshan Pattnaik said the Collector has no power to restrict the movement of family members inside their own house. He requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to allow residents of all 32 Wards of Puri town who have taken two doses of vaccine or with Covid negative certificates, to witness the festival in a phased manner.
Raju Mishra, a resident, said, “My family has been vaccinated with both the doses and no member is infected. Why should we remain in house arrest?” he questioned. Many residents said they have been extending all cooperation to the administration for the conduct of the Rath Yatra without the participation of devotees. “This does not empower the administration to direct us what to do inside our homes,” they said.
Earlier, Verma interacted with owners of hotels and lodging facilities located along Bada Danda and directed them not to allow visitors into their establishments from July 11 till the chariots pass through the Grand Road to Gundicha temple. Owners of private houses along the road were also asked not go to rooftops and allow relatives into their premises during the pulling of chariots.
Puri SP K Vishal Singh has warned of strong action if owners of houses along Bada Danda or their family members are found on rooftops or balconies during the festival. He informed that section 144 would be clamped on Bada Danda from June 11 night to June 13 noon to prevent devotees from coming on to the Grand Road.
On the other hand, the Collector appealed to servitors to undergo RT-PCR test which would begin from Thursday. As per the SOP, every servitor intending to participate in Rath Yatra including pulling of chariots should obtain their Covid-19 test report before 48 hours. Only those testing negative would be allowed to participate in the fete, he said. The servitors were urged to take their second dose of Covid vaccine before joining the festival.
Meanwhile, Daita servitors treated the Trinity with Khali, Khadi and gave them massage with ‘Ghanalagi’ solution on Wednesday. Later, the deities were dressed with ‘Sapta Abaran’ (seven layers) of red clothes.
Biswakarma (chief carpenter) of Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha Rath Bijay Mahapatra informed that construction work of the three chariots is nearing completion. The construction yard located on Bada Danda is being dismantled while artisans are busy colouring the chariots. On the occasion of Netra Utsav, the three chariots would be decked up with coloured clothes prepared by Darzi servitors.