CM holds final Rath Yatra preparations meet Chariot climbing issue avoided
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the presence of Ministers concerned with the Rath Yatra preparations on Sunday took stock of the final preparations for the festival that will begin from June 29.
The Chief Minister was appraised about the preparations by District Magistrate Dhiren Patnaik and temple Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee.
While the committee and representatives of servitor bodies refrained from discussing the controversial issue of devotees climbing chariots and touching of deities in view of the High Court’s verdict on the matter, it was decided to hold another meeting within two to three days to finalise a list of people who will be allowed to stay atop the chariots during the rituals.
Members came down heavily on the works of health and drainage departments for their poor performance. Most of the members pointed out that the commitments made by the Health Department to fill up vacant posts of medicos and other staff during the last two such meetings are yet to be met.
Members decried the absence of Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and the Health Secretary at this high-level meeting.
However, the Additional Secretary of the department informed that since Government doctors are not available, efforts are being made to induct doctors on contract during the festival. He said over 80 beds would be added to the existing facility in the District Headquarters Hospital.
Similarly the drainage department which has left the city roads in a poor state came under scanner as the officials despite earlier directions of the committee have failed to complete the work. With the Rath Yatra barely a week away, it seems almost impossible to complete the required job.
law Minister Arun Sahoo, H&UD Minister Puspendra Singh Deo, Civil Supplies Minister Sanjay Dasburma, Culture and Tourism Minister Ashok Panda RD Minister Badri Narayan Patrea, Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das, Science and Technology Minister Ramesh Majhi, local MP Pinaki Mishra, local MlA Maheswar Mohanty, Chief Secretary JK Mohapatra, DGP Prakash Mishra, Special DGP Sanjeev Marik, IGP RP Koche, and district SP Anup Sahu were present at the meeting along with the representatives of various servitor bodies of the temple.
The Chief Minister in his brief address urged the servitors and all others concerned to extend their cooperation for smooth conduct of the Rath Yatra.
later, the CM flagged of four modern AC passenger busses to ply along the Puri-Bhubaneswar route and also unveiled the official wall book Rooparekha on Rath Yatra.