Puri Eviction Drive: Emar Mutt To Be Demolished Today

Puri: Emar Mutt will pulled down during the eviction drive aimed at decluttering space within a 75-metre radius of Jagannath Temple on Wednesday.

Languli Mutt was demolished the previous day. Bada Akhada Mutt will be the next to be razed, official sources said.

Meanwhile, the Puri administration has vacated shops near over 700 years old Emar Mutt closely linked to the Jagannath culture and the Lord’s rituals. Raghunandan Library inside the mutt will also be bulldozed.

Collector Balwant Singh and Superintendant of Police (SP) Uma Shankar Dash are supervising the shifting of 5000-odd rare and valuable books, documents and palm leaf manuscripts kept in 24 almirahs housed in the library, which has been declared unsafe.

It was set up in 1921 by the then Mahant of the Emar Mutt in memory of his guru Raghunandan.

However, the temple and the idols inside the Mutt will left untouched.

The eviction drive is being conducted in the presence of the Magistrate, senior officials of the district administration, the SP and 30 platoons of police forces.

Amid growing resentment among people over the eviction drive, the district administration on Tuesday had assured proper rehabilitation of the displaced mutts and trading establishments.

The Puri collector said steps have been taken to keep the temples of the mutt and the seat of the chief priest intact while arrangements will be made to accommodate the priest and his disciples of the mutts near the 12th century shrine.

The drive is being carried out on the recommendations of B P Das Commission to ensure safety and security of the 12th century shrine.