CM stresses on timely conduct of Rath rituals, devotees’ safety

BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday stressed on timely conduct of rituals and the safety of devotees during Rath Yatra in Puri on June 20. Naveen also stressed on foolproof arrangements, including special measures for protection of devotees from heatwave.
“Mahaprabhu is the supreme identity of the Odias. The whole world always waits for Mahaprabhu’s Rath Yatra and it is the responsibility of each one of us to ensure a smooth conduct of Mahaprabhu’s Yatra,” Naveen said, while addressing a high-level meeting via video link from Bhubaneswar on the sidelines of reviewing the administrative preparedness for the grand festival in Puri.
Chief secretary Pradeep Jena, director general of police Sunil Bansal and development commissioner Anu Garg, among several other bureaucrats, IPS officers, ministers and officials of different departments attended the review meeting in Puri.
“Keeping in mind the heatwave, special arrangements should be made for the devotees and their safety and convenience should be accorded priority. Devotees who will attend the festival in Puri from elsewhere in the country and from abroad should return home with pleasant memories,” Naveen said.
The chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Ranjan Kumar Das, said the CM’s directives will be implemented to ensure a hassle-free Rath Yatra. “We have been holding meetings regularly with servitors of different Nijogs (associations) in this regard and they have assured us of full cooperation. We will also try to facilitate completion of rituals before schedule,” he added. The Parikrama Marg (outer access road around Jagannath Temple) under the heritage corridor project will be opened for public use by June 15, he said.
State law minister Jagannath Sarka said all the departments have been instructed to expedite their work related to the Rath Yatra. DGP Bansal said the state police are prepared for the grand festival. “The safety and security of devotees and VIPs, traffic regulation and crowd management will be our priority areas,” Bansal said.