Allow Nuakhai Festival In Western Odisha With COVID-19 Norms: Odisha MP To CM

Bhubaneswar: BJP leader and Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari on Sunday requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take necessary steps for the celebration of Nuakhai, one of the major festivals in western Odisha, by following COVID-19 guidelines.

In a letter, Pujari said people of western Odisha should be allowed to celebrate the festival on the lines of Rath Yatra in Puri with strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.

He also requested the Chief Minister to relax the lockdown and shutdown guidelines to allow the people to purchase necessary items for the festival. He also urged him to provide financial and other benefits in advance to the poor people under the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan ahead of the festival, which will be observed on August 23.