The administration would not tolerate indiscipline during the observance of annual Rath Yatra of lord Jagannath and His siblings, said district Collector Arabind Agarwal and RDC AB Ota while addressing the high level second meeting of the festival preparation committee on Tuesday here.
Replying to the request of some senior servitors for an amicable solution to the impasse between some servitors and the administration over the Niladri Bije ritual of lord Jagannath, Agarwal said the servitors should come with an open mind and no arm twisting and blackmailing would be tolerated.
It may be recalled that several temple servitors were suspended by the temple administration while criminal cases were slapped on them in the wake of their conduct during the Niladri Bije ritual last year.
Superintendent of Police Sarthak Sarangi said the order of the Orissa High Court would be implemented in letter and spirit. No unauthorised person would be allowed to touch the deities and climb the chariots.
The temple administration would furnish the list of servitors on duty to the police to enable them to perform their duties, Sarangi added.
Unruly persons disobeying the order would be dealt with a heavy hand, he warned.
Earlier the Sevayat Sammillani, a body of temple servitors, through posters fixed on the temple wall, had appealed thee servitors not to participate in the meeting. However, some servitors of Muduli Nijog and Daitapatis had attended and placed their point.
The meeting evaluated the task given to various departments for the fete. Supply of timber for the construction of Rathas which began on the Akshyaya Tritya day was satisfactory while the meeting expressed concern over poor infrastructure in the District Headquarters Hospital. The RDC formed a three- member body to tone up the shortcomings in the hospital. The Director and Additional Secretary of the Health Department were asked to inspect the situation and augment the healthcare system before the fete. This apart the meeting constituted a committee to look into the exploitation of people at the Swargdwar crematorium. It asked the Chairperson the Puri civic body to ensure display of rates for the cremation in a conspicuous place. Any person charging more than the fixed rates would be booked in criminal case for extortion if any complaint was filed, it was decided. 125 platoons of police, besides 2,000 home guards and several platoons of Rapid Action Force, would be deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the fete. The meeting among other things discussed illumination of the city and Badadanda, supply of continuous power and drinking water, transport of pilgrims, repairs of roads, cleansing of drains and maintenance of high standard of health and hygiene.
The EcoR would open 36 ticket counters in various stations en route Puri to facilitate hassle- free movement of pilgrims.
Inspector General of Police Soumendra Priyadarshi, temple officials, engineers and officials of line departments participated.