CUTTACK: A PIL has been filed in the Orissa High Court seeking direction for making the Jagannath temple in Puri disabled-friendly by invoking the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 1916. The petition has been filed by Jitendra Kumar Biswal, a differently-abled social activist of Bargarh. He sought the court’s direction to Shri Jagannath temple administration (SJTA) to make the temple accessible for differently-abled persons.
“All Hindus have free access to the Shri Jagannath temple. So it is the paramount duty of the State administration including the SJTA to ensure that proper access is created for the movement of wheelchair-bound devotees visiting the Srimandir. No such facility is available at the temple now”, he said in the petition.
The petitioner also sought direction to the authorities concerned for making designated space within the inner sanctum of the Srimandir for wheelchair-bound devotees to offer prayers and have a clear view of the three deities.The petition has named Chief Secretary, Chairman of the managing committee of Srimandir and chief administrator of the temple as opposite parties in the case.