Ranchi, Jul 20 (IANS): Though the Jharkhand government is yet to take a final call on organising the Shravani Mela in Deoghar, sources have indicated that this year also the annual festival will not be organised in the famous Baba Baidyanath Mandir in Deoghar owing to the COvid-19 pandemic.

It is expected that this time the temple will not be opened for the common devotees in the month of Shravan. Preparations are being made by the district administration to close the roads leading to the temple for the common devotees, who will also be prevented from coming in the month of Shravan through the Kanwaria route.

"Dumma, the entrance gate of Jharkhand, will also be sealed and there will be deployment of magistrate and police force. The police will stop and send back the Kanwariyas coming through Bihar," a source in the Deoghar administration to IANS.

According to the information received, instructions have been issued by the administration to make temporary office-cum-police cantonments at many places, including Dumma, Matri Mandir School Chowk, Nehru Park, Jalsar Mod, Ranga Mod, Darshani Mod and Laxmipur Chowk.

According to sources, orders have been given to build a pandal for these temporary police cantonments.

Additional police force has been demanded to maintain law and order in the month of Shravan. It has been decided that more than 1,000 police personnel will reach Babadham before the start of the month of Shravan.

To accommodate these policemen, the district administration has provided many school buildings to the police department.

The Baba Baidyanath Mandir in Deoghar is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country. Every year, more than 35 lakh devotes offer 'water' on the Shiva linga in the month Shravan. However, due to the pandemic, the annual event was not held last year.