Paradip: Priests of a 1,000-year-old temple in Jagatsinghpur district have stopped performing puja of two-wheelers if the riders are not equipped with helmets.

The management of the temple of Goddess Maa Sarala started implementing the "no-helmet, no-puja" policy a month ago following instruction from police.

As part of its strategy to reduce road fatalities involving two-wheeler riders, the police had held a talk with temple authorities across the district.

"The temple managing authorities have liked our proposal and have consented to abide by our instruction," said Jagatsinghpur police superintendent Jai Narayan Pankaj.

Maa Sarala temple at Jhankad near Paradip is a popular destination for two-wheeler riders to offer puja to "stave off road mishap".

People buying new motorcycles also throng the temple daily for puja of the two-wheeler. "Paying due regard to the police initiative, we have refused puja to bikers who visit the shrine on bikes without wearing helmets," said a priest of the temple.

"We all strictly follow the practice keeping in mind the safety of bike riders," said head priest of Maa Sarala temple Sudam Charan Panda.

"We are very happy that the priests have joined hands with us in the road safety drive. Management of other temples in the district have also consented to take cue from the "no-helmet, no-puja" policy of Maa Sarala temple," said Pankaj.

The district police have launched a series of initiatives to curb road accident cases. The endeavour is now paying dividends.

There has been a 14 per cent drop in rate of road accidents in Jagatsinghpur in 2017 in comparison to the preceding year, he added. PTI

Border review

Ganjam district administration recently reviewed the infrastructure of villages situated along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border amid local media reports that people there are availing benefits offered by the neighbouring state. Berhampur sub-collector Siddharth Shankar Swain visited villages under Tumba and Burutala panchayats along the border along with senior officers and interacted with local people to find out about their needs and grievances, said a senior official. PTI