With personnel of Puri Jagannath temple increasingly becoming vulnerable to COVID-19, authorities of the 12th century shrine have sought for the conferment of COVID warrior tag on employees of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).

The SJTA officials are of the view that the employees of the temple administration are leading from the front in the fight against coronavirus in ensuring the safety of servitors, devotees and stakeholders, thereby getting exposed to virus infection. Two SJTA employees, who remained in charge of the implementation of COVID-19 protocol in true letter and spirit, succumbed to infections recently. Besides, several SJTA employees were infected with the virus.

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Espousing the cause of employees, the Chief Administrator of SJTA), Krishan Kumar has urged the State government to confer them the COVID warrior status.

“I am to bring to your kind notice that the employees of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Puri are involved in discharging various duties during this COVID pandemic. This includes taking care of the COVID positive persons in the Institutional Isolation Facility (lIF) at Nilachal Bhakta Nivas and assisting the medical teams in vaccination of sevayats and employees. Besides, they are continuously exposed to members of public while assisting performance of nitis (rituals) inside and outside the Temple and looking after the boarding, lodging and accommodation of Ratha Khala sevaks etc.,” Kumar said in the letter addressed to Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department.

“In this context, I request that all such officials of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Puri may be declared as COVID warriors for extension of benefits as decided by the State Government from time to time,” he concluded.

Currently the famous temple is shut for devotees till 17 June in view of the surge in COVID infections in the temple town of Puri.

The construction of the chariots for the famous Rath Yatra of the deities is currently in progress amid 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.