CUTTACK/PURI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has registered an online complaint made by Jagannath Bastia, President of Puri Vikas Parishad related to hardships faced by devotees during darshan of the deities at Shri Jagannath Temple.
The NHRC’s status report communicated to the complainant on Thursday said the complaint has been registered with “General Public” as the “victim”.
According to the incident details available from the status report, lakhs of devotees were facing hardships and difficulties “due to gross negligence on the part of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration as well as the State government”.
There is a long queue of devotees every day on the Grand Road up to the Market Chakh, which would be around two km from the temple. “It is very pathetic that thousands of devotees have to wait in the open barricade at Grand Road under the scorching heat for two to three hours to enter the temple because of the mindless action of the administration,” the details recorded by the NHRC said.
The complainant alleged that neither the temple administration nor the district administration or the Puri Municipality has installed any temporary sheds on the Grand Road and has not yet covered the portion of the barricading from the temple office to the Market Chakh. Even there is no free drinking water distribution system near the barricade for the waiting devotees.
Moreover, there are no provisions of a special queue for senior citizens and physically challenged persons. There is also the absence of proper management and supervision on the movement of devotees during the darshan of the deities inside the temple. Consequently, the senior citizens, women, children and physically challenged persons face inconvenience, the complainant has alleged.