Form high-level panel for Ratna Bhandar inventory: Orissa HC

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Friday directed the state government to constitute a high-level panel, if approached by Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC), for supervising the process of inventory of valuables including jewellery stored in the Ratna Bhandar.

“Such committee be constituted by the state government within a period of 60 days from the date when SJTMC will approach them. The said committee shall assist the SJTMC in carrying out the inventory”, the court said.

The court issued the direction while disposing of a PIL filed by senior BJP leader Samir Mohanty which had raised two important issues – safety of the Puri Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar (treasury) and transparency in respect of the valuable articles stored in it. While senior advocate Buddhadev Routray represented SJTMC, senior advocate Pitambar Acharya argued on the petitioner’s behalf.

The division bench of Chief Justice Subhasis Talapatra and Justice Savitri Ratho said, “Even if we dismiss the writ petition on the question of locus standi, that dismissal may not refrain the court from delving deeper into these questions as Shri Jagannath Temple is the beacon of ultimate faith of millions of people.”

The bench, however, specified it would not interfere with the plan of work regarding inventory and repair works of the interior walls of the Ratna Bhandar as prepared in the SJTMC meeting held on August 4, 2023 on advice of the superintending archaeologist, ASI (Puri Circle).

Earlier, SJTMC through its counsel had submitted the copy of the resolution passed by it on August 4, 2023. As per the resolution, repair of the Ratna Bhandar should be taken up at such time so that both the rituals of the Lords and public darshan are not obstructed.

Superintending archaeologist of ASI’s Puri Circle Dibishada Brajasundar Garnayak had proposed the status of the inner portion of the Bhandar could also be assessed through conduct of laser scanning from its exterior and the repair could be taken up by opening the inner Bhandar during Ratha Yatra next year after making assessment of the inner status.

The committee had accepted Garnayak’s proposal with the advice that ASI would constitute a technical team consisting of technical members nominated by ASI including two temple sevayats and two technical experts (NC Pal, engineer-in-chief of Works department and B Ashish Kumar Subudhi OSD (Works) as members to conduct the work.

Garnayak, however, had informed the necessary machinery for conducting laser scanning has presently been put to service at Gyanavapi Temple in Varanasi from where it would be mobilised to Puri for making necessary assessment of Ratna Bhandar from outside only after completion of work at Varanasi.

The SJTMC had also passed a resolution requesting the state government to constitute a high-level committee and chairmanship of either a retired high court or supreme court judge to supervise the conduct of inventory as well as to determine its modus operandi.