Puri: The district administration would soon provide assistance to cyclone-affected potters of the Holy City and its nearby areas.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the potters with the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief PK Mohapatra here Tuesday.
Puri district Collector Balwant Singh and office bearers of Srimandir Suar and Mahasuar Niyog were also present at the meeting.
Potters of Kumbharpara, Tikarpara, Badasahi, Nuasahi and Gopalpur in the Holy City; Gadarodang and Bentapur in Brahmagiri; Bhuyna, Chhaitana and Chandanpur of Puri Sadar and Dugal in Satyabadi participated in the meeting.
As per the decisions taken at the meeting, the district administration would provide preliminary assistance to the cyclone-affected potters within a couple of days.
This apart, the potters would get assistance for their damaged houses as per the relief code of state government. Moreover, the District Industries Centre would provide assistance to the potters to repair and rebuild their damaged potteries.
The district administration has asked the tehsildars to provide house damages to the potters.
On the other hand, the SJTA chief urged the potters to bake clay pots for the preparation of Mahaprasad at Srimandir.
The Srimandir Kumbhakar Niyog, meanwhile, claimed that altogether 213 potteries in the Puri city have been destroyed by cyclone Fani. Besides, the cyclonic storm has damaged more than 500 potteries in Puri Sadar, Brahmagiri and Satyabadi area, said the Niyog.
Moreover, thousands of finished and semi-finished pots have been destroyed by the cyclonic storm that made a landfall on Puri coast May 3.
Earlier, there were reports that destruction of potteries may affect supply of clay pots to Srimandir.
Members of the Niyog had earlier written to the district administration and the SJTA urging them to provide assistance to the cyclone-affected potters.
