Odisha forms panel to study management scheme of important shrines

Bhubaneswar: As directed by the Supreme Court, the Odisha Government has formed a committee to study the management schemes of important shrines of the country for suggesting changes, if considered necessary, for the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.

While S.C. Mohapatra, Additional Chief Secretary, Forest & Environment Department, has been appointed as the chairperson of the three-member committee, S. Priyadarshi, I.G. Police, Central Range, and Mohimohan Tripathy, member of Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, are the members of the panel.

The committee, which will study management schemes of Vaishno Devi, Somnath Temple, Golden Temple, Tirupati Temple and Dharmasthala Temple, has been asked to submit its interim report by June 30, as per direction of the Supreme Court.

A bench of justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and Ashok Bhushan of the apex court, hearing a petition filed by Mrinalini Padhi highlighting difficulties faced by devotees at the Jagannath Temple in Puri and their harassment or exploitation by sevayats of the temple, had directed the Odisha Government to constitute a committee for the purpose.