CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction over the response filed by the chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Puri on facilitation of free movement for differently-abled devotees within the temple complex.
Accordingly, the division bench of Acting Chief Justice Arindam Sinha and Justice MS Sahoo said directed the chief administrator to file another affidavit on compliance of the directions of the Supreme Court in the connection. The court was hearing the PIL for providing access to wheelchair-bound persons into the Jagannath temple to have a darshan of the Lord. The petition has been scheduled for next hearing on April 9.
High court lawyer Mrinalini Padhi filed the petition on November 11 last year. Padhi also sought the court’s intervention for implementation of the assurance given by the temple authority in their affidavit before the Supreme Court (as mentioned in the Nov 4, 2019 order). The court had issued notice seeking response to the petition from SJTA on January 22.
In an affidavit filed on March 10, the chief administrator said: “At present there is masonry ramp from Uttaradwar to Bahara Gumuta to Uttaradwar Bhitargumut. Then there are steps to enter inside Bhitara Bedha. From Bhitara Bedha at near Ghanti Dwar to Nata Mandap there exist one wooden ramp. So the only barriers are the masonry steps.
Now estimate has been prepared and tender published for construction of masonry ramp at Bhitargumuta to avoid the existing steps. The work is likely to be started after finalisation of tender and may be completed within four months.”