Odisha govt forms committee to study management of important shrines

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday constituted a three-member committee led by additional chief secretary Suresh Mohapatra to study management schemes of other important shrines in the country.

The committee will suggest changes, if necessary, for the management of Sri Jagannath temple at Puri.

It will study the management of important shrines such as Vaishno Devi, Somnath Temple, Golden Temple, Tirupati Temple and other temples in the country.

The committee has been constituted following the direction of Supreme Court.

Other two members of the committee are S Priyadarshi (IG Police, central range) and Mohimohan Tripathy (member of Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee).

The committee will give its interim report by June 30 as per the Supreme Court order.

Meanwhile, the Puri district judge held meeting with officials of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) for implementation of recent Supreme Court directive to improve the functioning of the 12th-century shrine.

The Supreme Court took serious note of the frequent mismanagement and harassment of devotees by servitors at Jagannath temple.

It asked Puri District Judge to give a report on factual aspects of difficulties faced by visitors, exploitative practices (if any), deficiencies in the temple management (if any) and suggestions to improve the overall functioning of the temple.