Puri, July 15 (UDN): With the annual Rath Yatra approaching, the Odisha government has issued comprehensive health and safety advisories for devotees, organisers, and the general public to ensure a safe and smooth festival experience.
The Health and Family Welfare Department and the Energy Department have released separate guidelines aimed at preventing health-related issues, ensuring electrical safety, and managing risks during the large-scale gathering of devotees.
Under the health advisory, pilgrims have been urged to consume only clean or boiled water, maintain proper hand hygiene, and avoid street food, stale food items, artificially coloured products, and food exposed to unhygienic conditions. Devotees have also been advised to take precautions against heat-related illnesses by using protective measures such as caps or wet cloths and consuming ORS solutions when required.
Authorities have advised visitors to follow safety instructions while taking holy dips in the sea, use mosquito protection measures during overnight stays, and take extra care of elderly persons, children, and people with disabilities in crowded areas. Devotees experiencing any health concerns have been encouraged to seek immediate medical assistance at nearby health centres.
The Energy Department has also issued electrical safety guidelines for organisers and establishments during the festival. Organisers have been instructed to follow safety standards, inform local electricity offices before moving chariots along designated routes, and ensure proper inspection of electrical equipment and wiring at venues, pandals, hotels, shops, and other crowded locations.
The government said these preventive measures are aimed at reducing health risks and avoiding electrical accidents during one of Odisha’s biggest religious gatherings. Authorities have appealed to devotees, organisers, and citizens to cooperate with safety instructions and help ensure a peaceful, secure, and successful Rath Yatra celebration.
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