The Odisha government has initiated several steps to bring back Odias stranded in Jammu and Kashmir, including setting up a helpdesk in Delhi for those in need.
A number of pilgrims from Odisha went to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir and are currently on their way back since the pilgrimage to the shrine has been temporarily suspended amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
The Odisha government has asked the resident commissioner in Delhi to coordinate with the central government and the Jammu and Kashmir government for their safe evacuation.
Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi said: “We have made elaborate arrangements to bring back Odisha residents, particularly students, who currently outside the state and in Jammu and Kashmir. A round-the-clock helpdesk has been set up at the office of the resident commissioner in New Delhi to help those in need.”
The Odisha government has also tightened security in all the defence establishments in and around the Shree Jagannath temple in Puri. The National Security Guard (NSG) on Tuesday held a series of discussions with senior officials of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration on the temple’s security.
“We are taking necessary steps to protect vital installations in the state. The Centre is also closely monitoring the situation,” Majhi said.
The security facility at the Chandipur missile testing range in Balasore district was being reviewed.