Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), in association with the Health department, Saturday conducted thermal screening of altogether 92 carpenters engaged in chariot construction at Rath Yard here.
The temple administration has taken all precautionary measures at Rath Yard to keep the novel coronavirus at bay, sources said.
“We have conducted thermal screening of 92 carpenters at Rath Yard. All these carpenters were found doing well,” said SJTA administrator (development) Ajay Kumar Jena.
SJTA sources said a team of health staff led by Additional District Medical Officer (ADMO,) Family Welfare, Debi Prasad Mahapatra created awareness on the precautionary measures against the deadly virus at the Rath Yard. The team gave a presentation on the use of protective masks, handwash and hand sanitiser to the carpenters and labourers engaged in the chariot construction.
“The carpenters and their assistants have been told to maintain social distancing at Rath Yard,” said the ADMO.
It is worth mentioning here that the SJTA has erected barricades around the Rath Yard and covered the whole area with cotton fabric. It has also banned the entry of outsiders into the chariot construction site.
Srimandir sources, meanwhile, revealed that all the carpenters and workers engaged in the chariot construction would stay in isolation Sunday.
The SJTA has arranged around 200 rooms in three Bhakta Niwas (shelters for devotees) in the city to provide quarantine facility to the carpenters and their assistants. “The carpenters and workers engaged at Rath Yard would stay in isolation from Sunday. We will provide food, transport and other amenities to them,” Jena said.
According to Jena, the temple administration has constituted four teams to regularly monitor the health of the carpenters and their families. “We will screen the carpenters and workers regularly. A carpenter will not be allowed to enter the chariot construction site if any symptom of Covid-19 is found in him,” said Chief District Medical Officer Nilakantha Mishra.