Odisha law minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Friday stressed coordination among servitors, administrative officials and police to ensure the upcoming Rath Yatra on July 16 is held smoothly and without any untoward incident.
Reviewing preparations for the Rath Yatra at a meeting in Bhubaneswar, the minister asked officials to ensure that all rituals and events pass off peacefully. Senior officials and representatives of servitors attended the meeting.
Last year, the state government faced embarrassment after a pre-dawn stampede near the Shree Gundicha temple claimed three lives due to inadequate crowd management and absence of police personnel at
the spot.
“Coordinated efforts will be made to conduct all major events and rituals associated with the Rath Yatra,” the minister said.
The meeting discussed conduct of rituals, pahandi procession, smooth chariot-pulling arrangements, disciplined darshan management, security measures, crowd-control strategies, advance dissemination of ritual schedules and installation of special barricades at sensitive locations.
Construction of the three chariots is underway in Puri.
To ensure the festival remains incident-free, Odisha police has decided to implement an effective crowd-management plan covering emergency response, disaster management and inter-departmental coordination. A meeting on the issue was held on Thursday under the chairmanship of director-general of police Y.B. Khurania.
Puri town will remain under CCTV surveillance during the festival. Photographs of habitual offenders will also be displayed at key locations, including railway
stations.
Meanwhile, the inventory and verification of ornaments stored inside the Ratna Bhandar of the 12th-century shrine entered its eighth day.
Former Orissa High Court judge Justice Biswanath Rath, who is supervising the inventory process, said: “The exercise is going on in a disciplined manner. We are currently in a complex situation. But with the Lord’s blessing, we are hopeful of completing the exercise smoothly.”