Puri Servitors See Red Over Decision To Vacate Land Around Jagannath Shrine

Puri: Residents and servitors of Shri Jagannath temple have resented the state cabinet’s decision to evict structures around the shrine in line with the recommendations of the Justice BP Das Commission.

“We will challenge this decision in the High Court,” said senior servitor Binayak Das Mohapatra.

If 75 metres of area from the boundaries of the Jagannath Temple are be vacated, then many mutts and temples will be destroyed, the servitors said. It will damage the heritage of Puri, they added.

Notably, the Odisha Cabinet on Friday approved a proposal of the Law Department regarding some of the recommendations of the Justice BP Das Commission in its first interim report on the reforms and development of Jagannath Temple.

Following the meeting, which was presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Asit Kumar Tripathy said that as per the recommendation of the Commission, 75 metres of area from the boundaries of the Puri shrine will be vacated for the convenience of devotees.

“The District Collector has been entrusted with the task of land acquisition and survey work of the specified areas to execute the recommendation of the Commission. Besides, it has been decided in principle to provide compensation to the affected people and agencies and ensure their proper rehabilitation,” Tripathy added.

Notably, there are more than 15 temples, 20 mutts, 10 Ashrams and hundreds of houses and shops located within the 75-metre radius of Shri Jagannath Temple.