Around 200 people including servitors, carpenters, blacksmiths and painters are on the job for the chariot construction.
(Image: Twitter/@dpradhanbjp)
A day after the government announced to put in place bio-bubble like safety ring for facilitating hassle-free construction of chariots of Lord Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra, ten more servitors engaged in the chariot building tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, raising question on the health safety measures.
With this 18 servitors have contracted the disease so far. Around 200 people including servitors, carpenters, blacksmiths and painters are on the job for the chariot construction. The construction is going on in phased manner with 80 people engaged in the work on rotation.
“We received the COVID positive test reports of ten servitors today. But that does not indicate that the bio bubble safety ring was breached. Samples were collected at least three days back when bio bubble measure was not initiated”, said an official of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration in Puri.
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Only those tested COVID negative are pressed into service for the work. The servitors are staying secluded from the rest in a guest house exclusively reserved for them till the chariot construction work is completed. They are being provided utmost health security. The chariot construction site has been kept out of bounds for outsiders, said SJTA officials adding that those involved in the construction work are being vaccinated on a priority basis.
The construction of the chariots started on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on 15 May. In less than a week period, the chariot construction has made good progress despite the COVID-induced hurdles and bio bubble restrictions.
With COVID surge going unabated, the famous Rath Yatra scheduled to be held on July 12 is likely to be a devotee-less affair for the second consecutive year even though the authorities are yet to make an official announcement in this regard.
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