Coir corporation delivers chariot ropes to SJTA

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Puri: Putting an end to uncertainties over supply of chariot ropes, the Orissa Cooperative Coir Corporation (OCCC) Limited Wednesday delivered the ropes to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
Srimandir sources said the OCCC has supplied 14 ropes for pulling of chariots and two for the security cordons during the Rath Yatra. “We have received 14 chariot ropes and two others to be used for security cordons from OCCC factory at Birapratappur near Chandanpur. The corporation will supply seven more ropes for security cordons around the chariots soon,” Sudarshan Mekap, caretaker of the 12th century shrine.
The SJTA had asked OCCC to supply 14 chariot ropes and nine ropes for security cordons for this year’s car festival.
However, questions were raised from several quarters regarding timely delivery of chariot ropes when employees of OCCC began a cease-work protest June 21 to press for their eight-point charter of demands including salary hike as per the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission. By then, OCCC had completed preparation of 12 chariot ropes, sources said. The issue was raised at the third coordination meeting for Rath Yatra.
Subsequently, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Prafulla Samal had held discussions with the agitating OCCC employees and assured them to convene a high-level meeting in Bhubaneswar by July 30 to deliberate on various issues of the corporation and find out ways to solve them.
OCCC employees had called off their agitation and resumed preparation of chariot ropes. The OCCC has been supplying ropes for Rath Yatra since 2011. The SJTA was earlier sourcing chariot ropes from Kerala.