Puri Sevayats Protest NMA Draft Bylaws For Jagannath Temple In Odisha

Puri: Protesting the draft notification on heritage bylaws for Jagannath temple published by National Monument Authority (NMA), the sevayats staged a demonstration in front of the temple on Sunday.

Vehemently protesting the proposed bylaws, senior sevayat Binayak Das Mohapatra said the Daitapati Nijog and Bhitara Sevayat Nijog will move the Supreme Court against the bylaws and if necessary, he will personally move the apex court on the matter.

Terming the proposed bylaws as a one-sided decision of the Ministry of Culture, he said all the sevayats of Jagannath temple will fight tooth and nail for its immediate withdrawal.

Senior sevayat of the temple Rajat Pratihari said the state government in the name of conservation and beautification of Jagannath temple has destroyed the century-old heritage sites like the Emar Mutt, Languli Mutt, Bada Akhada Mutt, Uttaraparshwa Mutt, Dakhinaparshwa Mutt and Raghaba Das Mutt.

As per the new provisions of the proposed bylaws, apart from the 100-metre prohibited area of the temple, there will be no construction without its permission of the NMA in another 200-metre area which will be declared as a regular zone, he added

Also Read: Puri Jagannath Temple Admn Urges Centre To Withdraw Draft Heritage Bylaws

“As the sevayat families reside within the 300 metre radius of the temple in Bali Sahi, Harachandi Sahi, Manikarnika Sahi, Suara Sahi, Markandeswar Sahi and Dolamandap Sahi, they will be severely affected by the new bylaws,” Pratihari said.

He further said that although the NMA released the draft bylaws on January 18 this year and has invited objections and suggestions on them till February 18, the state government has not informed the sevayats till date.

“We will place our opinion and redress our grievances at the public hearing which will be convened by the state government. Apart from this, we will also take up the matter with the NMA,” he added.

Also Read: Know What NMA’s Draft Bylaws For Puri Jagannath Temple And Subsidiary Shrines Say