PURI: The Sri Jagannath temple and the garbhagruha are safe, informed the superintendent of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Arun Kumar Malik at the temple managing committee meeting held here on Saturday. Informing that a piece of lime plaster weighing about two kg had fallen, Malik said during the next Rath Yatra, while the deities will be away in Gundicha temple, the garbhagruha will be plastered. The ASI officer also clarified that the temple administration had not written any letter to ASI to conduct repairs in Ratna Bhandar (temple treasury).
The managing body reviewed mishaps during the last Rath Yatra and resolved to ensure that no servitor obstructs the view of deities by standing in front of them on the chariots from next year. The meeting also cleared the proposal for signing the MoU with Birla Education Society to establish an Adarsh Gurukul School for the children of servitors. The Gurukul school will be built on an area of 14 acres at an estimated Rs 26 crore. About Rs 21 crore will be released under the ABADHA yojana, the meeting informed.
Two housing projects for the poor and homeless servitors were approved at the meeting. While one project in Harchandi Sahi will have 400 houses on five-acre land, another project is likely to come up in Matimandap Sahi for 250 servitor families. Each flat will be of 600 sq ft. The Gundicha temple has remained closed to the public for the last 30 months for repairs and will be opened soon for devotees. The temple used to open for the Rath Yatra and then closed for repair. However visitors will not be allowed into garbhagruha and the kitchen, it was decided at the meeting.
Gajapati Dibyasingh Deb presided while chief administrator Vir Vikram Yadav conducted proceedings of the meeting amid the participation of all the members. Hundreds of residents led by Vitamati Adhikar Manch president Srikant Parija demonstrated in front of the meeting venue demanding the implementation of the 2003 temple land sell policy which had gotten government approval. They demanded to scrap the new uniform policy which is against the interest of the people. Over 80,000 people are affected because of this policy, they pointed out. Parija handed over a memorandum to all the members including Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb seeking their intervention.