Sambalpur, May 6: The spectre of jaundice outbreak has cast its shadow on Sital Sasthi festival that will begin here on May 22.
To prevent spread of the disease, Sambalpur Municipal Corporation will form squads to check sale of unhygienic food during the festival, which marks the marriage of Lord Shiv with His consort Goddess Parvati.
Though the main festival falls on May 22, the associated rituals begin will begin from May 18. The peace and co-ordination committee meeting for smooth celebration of the weeklong festival was organised today.
Officials of all the departments, including the municipal corporation, public health engineering department, health department, excise department, police and the electricity department, were present in the meeting presided over by district collector Balwant Singh.
Municipal commissioner Trilochan Majhi said: “Thousands of people will congregate in the city during the festival. Hygienic food, safe drinking water and sanitation are three major issues during the festival. Hence, we have decided to form special squads and check the selling of unhygienic food during the festival.” 
“We had launched a drive to destroy the unhygienic food on the backdrop of jaundice outbreak in the city. We will intensify the drive. The health officer and the food safety officer will check the food quality at the eateries and restaurants, ” Majhi said.
“To provide safe drinking water to the people, we have repaired Amrut Dhara, a concrete structure to store cold drinking water. The city has 23 Amrut Dharas. Of them, 15 have been made functional. The remaining water kiosks will be repaired within two to three days,” said Majhi.
“The drains, which are lying choked, will be cleaned before the festival. Extra lighting arrangements will be made on roadsides and along the ring road of the city. The defunct street lights will be made functional,” he said.
Additional superintendent of police S.K. Panigrahi said adequate police would be deployed.