Rs 500 Fine For Chewing Paan, Gutkha Inside Jagannath Temple

Puri: Henceforth, anyone found chewing paan or gutkha inside the Jagannath temple in Puri will be penalised.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Srimandir Managing Committee presided over by the Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb here on Monday.

Among others, Puri collector Balwant Singh, SP Uma Shankar Das and all members of the temple managing committee were present.

Talking to the media after the meeting, chief administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Pradipta Mahapatra said that the committee took the decision to maintain cleanliness and sanctity of the temple.

“It has been decided that whoever found chewing paan or gutkha inside the temple will be slapped a fine of Rs 500. The new rule will come into effect from August 1,” he added.