BARIPADA: A group of servitors from Haribaldev Jew temple in Baripada met sub-collector Dayasindhu Parida on Tuesday and reportedly threatened to stop performing daily rituals of the shrine due to shortage of funds and other issues.
The servitors alleged that the district administration was not releasing funds to the temple due to which no development activities are being undertaken.
Servitor Kameswar Tripathy said Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan had visited the temple in May last year and assured of providing funds for its development and smooth conduct of the daily rituals. However, not a single rupee has been released till date, he claimed.
“At least 1,000 acre land has been leased out to Odisha State Cashew Development Corporation Ltd since 2021. The revenue generated from the land was supposed to be provided to the temple. However, the corporation has not paid a single rupee to the temple. This apart, the Baripada municipality too has occupied temple land and is not providing any revenue,” the servitors alleged.
They further said a shopkeeper who provides groceries to the temple and for rituals of the deities, has threatened to stop the supply as the Endowments department is yet to pay `30 lakh due to him. “If the problems are not addressed soon, we will be forced to stop performing the daily rituals of the temple,” the servitors added.
Baripada sub-collector Parida said steps would be taken to resolve the issues faced by the temple at the earliest.