SJTA Chief Seeks COVID Warrior Status For Puri Jagannath Temple Administration Employees

Puri: Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Krishan Kumar has sought COVID warrior status for SJTA employees, discharging various duties amid the pandemic.

In a letter to Additional Chief Secretary, Health, PK Mohapatra, he said the employees take care of COVID-infected persons in Institutional Isolation Facility (lIF) at Nilachal Bhakta Nivas and assist the medical teams in vaccination of sevayats and employees.

He further said that they are continuously exposed to the public while assisting performance of rituals inside and outside Jagannath Temple and looking after the boarding, lodging and accommodation of Ratha Khala sevaks.

“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 added.

Kumar also urged the Additional Chief Secretary for financial assistance to the family of two personnel of Jagannath Temple Police (JTP) of SJTA– Pruthimanyu Dash (58) and Pramod Kumar Dash (59)– who succumbed to COVID-19 in April.