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Bhubaneswar ( Orissa) : Apprehending infiltration of terrorist elements through sea route, the Orissa Government on Tuesday asked the officials of Eastern Naval Command headquarters in Visakhapatnam to keep a strict vigil ahead of the week-long Festival of Chariots in holy city of Puri beginning from Wednesday.
The Government has already asked Coast Guards officials to keep a close watch on sea routes connecting Puri Beach.
"The Navy was asked to keep a vigil on the coast to prevent the sneaking of any extremist element into the festival," State Home Secretary AP Padhi told reporters adding that the Government is expecting a huge crowd.
Steps were also taken to distribute water pouches to the devotees during the festival to beat the grueling heat conditions.
He said this time 16 lakh pouches as against the eight lakh last year would be distributed and 16 aid centres were opened to treat patients affected by sunstroke.
The Government also kept ready 70 stretchers, enough quantity of ice slabs and generators and opened 14-bed Intensive Care Units to treat patients affected by sunstroke.
At least six ambulances will operate between Puri and Bhubaneswar to take care of the accident victims, if any, sources said.
Orissa Tourism Minsiter Debi Prasad Mishra said during the festival the Orissa Tourism Development Corporation would open five information centres at Talabania bus stand, Railway station, at sea beach in Mahodadhi Niwas campus, Saradha Bali, Chakratirtha Road to cater to the needs of the visitors.
The Corporation also developed special packages for Cuttack, Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar based tourists to witness the car festival as well as visit the tourists' destinations like Chilika, Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar.
The Tourism Department, he said, also decided to install four high mast lights to illuminate the Puri sea beach.
