The first high-level coordination committee meeting for the July 6 annual Rath Yatra of lord Jagannath and His siblings was held here on Saturday.
The meeting expressed concern over incomplete infrastructure development work taken up before the Nabakalebar and last Rath Yatra of the deities.
Several works like railway over bridge at Chandanpur, road over bridge at Sakhigopal and road to Mangalaghat from Malatipatpur remain incomplete even today.
Poor healthcare also figured in the discussion. It was revealed that a large number of medico posts in the District Headquarters Hospital and PHCs were lying vacant. The new seven storied building constructed for child and mother care unit in the DHH complex lacks sanitation, water supply and fire safety systems and a number of fire accidents were reported, it was revealed.
Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) JK Samantray said efforts were on to fill up the vacant posts while 30 ambulances would be pressed into service. Besides, 11 first aid centers would be made operational before the fete.
The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) informed that they would instal 250 tube wells besides 30 mobile drinking water tankers. Puri Municipality Chairman J Sarangi said all the drains in the city would be cleaned by end of May.
The meeting directed the Works Department to repair all the roads leading to Puri. Of the 865 timber logs required for construction of the three Raths, the Forest Department provided 725 logs till date, informed the Forest officials.
The State Government would be urged to permit one saw mill at Puri for sawing of timber logs for construction of Raths. This would save lakhs of temple money being spent for sawing at a Cuttack saw mill.
This apart, all the encroachments around the Shree Jagannath Temple would be removed before the fete. The meeting expressed concern over inordinate delay in constituting the Rath construction committee which was pending for last two years.
The CESU assured to provide uninterrupted power during the month long festival. RDC AB Otta, local MP Pinaki Mishra, MlA Maheswar Mohanty, SJTA chief PC Dash,
IG Central range RP Koche, Collector Arabind Agarwal and SP Sarthak Sadangi appraised the preparations for the fete. Many temple servitors and local residents participated.