The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) would open a Covid centre for the servitors. Equipped with all facilities, the Bhakta Niwas on the Grand Road would work as the Covid centre, said SJTA Chief Administrator Kishan Kumar on Wednesday.

After chairing a review meeting of Covid with district administration, Kumar said that Bhakta Niwas would operate as Covid centre from Wednesday onward for servitors, which would be equipped with all logistic support like doctors, nurses and ambulance. In a few days, testing facility would be there at the Bhakta Niwas, said CA to SJTA. Chairing the review meeting, the CA said that every bed in centre would also be provided with oxygen cylinder and ambulance facility would be there at Bhakata Niwas to help  serious patients of community reach Headquarter hospital. Stressing need of vaccination of servitor comunity, Kumar told that they were going to convene a meeting of all Nijogs to mobilise them. Similarly, vaccination of persons between age of 18 and 45 years would be undertaken, Kumar told, adding that Ayurvedic and homoeopathic treatment would begin from June onward.

He clarified that out of 32 returnees of Haridwar Kumbha Mela, a servitor had tested positive. The CA said that apart from oxygen, testing facility at  Covid centre would also come up in a few days. Notably, the SJTA had already convened a meeting on Tuesday with district administration and took some measures on curbing infection of people engaged in Jagannath Temple.