PURI: The district administration’s bid to offer the land of Bagala Dharmashala to hotel industry and people displaced by the ongoing demolition drive around Sri Jagannath temple has irked residents of the Pilgrim Town who are strongly opposed to the idea.
The move of the administration came to light after Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation applied for approval of the plot layout plan of the Dharmashala land with Puri Konark Development Authority (PKDA).
Bagala Dharmashala, established by Seth Kanheyalal seven decades back, is located in Balagandi Mouza along the Badadanda to cater to the needs of economically-backward devotees. Besides shelter, the facility is also used by pilgrims for their religious functions and rituals like thread and marriage ceremonies at a nominal cost.
Kanheyalal had entrusted the district administration with the management of the Dharamshala. Since then, the facility was being run by Puri Lodging House Fund Committee which was formed under the Bihar and Orissa Places of Pilgrim Act, 1920. In 2016-17, the India Tourism Development Corporation demolished a portion of the Dharamshala to reconstruct it with financial support from the Centre under PRASAD Yojana. Director, Tourism had applied for approval of the reconstruction layout plan of the Dharamshala with PKDA which is still pending.
In November 2018, the State Government repealed the Bihar and Orissa Places of Pilgrim Act, 1920 and the Lodging House Fund Committee along with Bagala Dharmashala and its land was merged with Puri Municipality. On October 25 last, the Executive Officer of the Municipality obtained permission from the Director of Municipal Administration and transferred the Dharamshala land to Revenue and Disaster Management Department. This has led to serious discontent.
Senior advocate of Puri Bar Association Ashok Kumar Das said the administration’s move was in violation of the law and recent Supreme Court ruling. The status of Dharamshala property cannot be changed by the administration. The law vests the ownership rights of the land on which a Dharamshala has been built with the religious endowment. The State is only the caretaker, not owner of the land while public is the beneficiary. It is the duty of the State to protect and manage the Dharamsala, he said, quoting from the law book.
“In this case, the District Collector is not owner of property but a trustee to manage the affairs of Bagala Dharmshala. The principle of law says the trustee has no right to change the status of the religious endowment,” Das said.
On Wednesday, convenor of Sachetan Nagarik Manch Prasanna Kumar Dash shot off a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urging him to protect the land of Bagala Dharmshala as the district administration is planning to allot plots for hotel construction and rehabilitation of displaced persons.
In its October meeting, the State Heritage Conservation Council had decried the action of Puri Collector to allow construction of projects on the land of Jagannath Ballav Mutt which is linked with the ‘nitees’ and rituals of Lord Jagannath. It had urged the Chief Minister to protect the Mutt and Bagala Dharmshala.
Chairman of Puri Press Club RK Mohanty criticised administration’s move and said when abundant space is available at suitable locations across the town, why destroy the Dharamshala and Jagannath Ballav Mutt? Moreover, the administration should not twist the legal system and override the settled principles of legal governance to suit its agenda and purpose, he said.