Cuttack: The district administration has prohibited the use of polythene bags at the three strategic locations where rath yatra is organised in an attempt to keep the festival free from plastic waste.

The three places include the Baldevjew temple at Ranihat, the Jagannath temple at Chandni Chowk and Patitapaban temple at Dolamundai.

Additional district magistrate Bijay Kumar Khandatray said the managing committees of the three temples had been urged to make arrangements to ensure that no polythene is used on the day of rath yatra, which falls on July 14 this year.

"We hope they will not allow use of polythene bags while offering bhog prasad to the deities during rath yatra and will instead use leaf plates or paper plates for the purpose," Khandatray said.

The decision was taken at a preparatory meeting for smooth conduct of rath yatra held recently in Cuttack.

It was decided at the meeting that roads on the routes the chariots of the three temples would also be spruced up.

Following the tradition, the Baldevjew temple's single chariot with the trinity will be pulled from Ranihat to Gundicha house near Tarini Temple at College Square and will be kept their till the return journey.

The three chariots of lords Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra of the Jagannath Temple at Chandni Chawk will be pulled to their Gundicha house at Kafla.

Similarly, the chariots of the deities of the Patitapaban temple at Dolamundai will be pulled to their Gundicha house near Seminary Chhak.

One mobile ambulance will be stationed at each of the three temples during ratha yatra along with mobile medical units.

Special emphasis will be given to ensure uninterrupted power supply along with extra lighting, supply of drinking water and fire safety at the three locations. Arrangements will be made for aerial spraying of water at these locations during the rath yatra to ensure that devotees do not suffer from heat, said an official.