Odisha Govt Forms New Panel To Oversee Puri Jaganath Temple Ratna Bhandar Inventory

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has decided to constitute a new committee to oversee the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar at Puri's Jaganath temple for repair work and to conduct inventory of valuables. Law Minister Prithiviraj Haricharan announced the panel was formed in accordance with the direction of the Orrisa High Court. 

Earlier in March, the BJD government formed a 12-member panel led by retired Supreme Court judge Ajit Pasayat to manage the precious jewelries and other items stored in the Ratna Bhandar.

The Panel led by Justice Pasayat was dissolved by newly elected BJP government. 

“A high-level committee is hereby reconstituted under the chairmanship of Justice Biswanath Rath, to supervise the Shree Jaganath Temple Managing committee in carrying out the inventoristation of valuables including jewelry stored in Ratna Bhandar,” a notification issued by the Law Department said. 

The 16-member committee led by Justice Rath will hold its meeting on July 6 in Puri to agree on a date for the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar and construct modalities for the repair of the inner chamber and inventory of valuables, stored inside it.

Additionally, the panel will decide the external agencies who will be involved to investigate the quality the jewels and valuables reserved in treasury of the 12-centuries old shrine.

The future course of reopening of the Ratna Bhandar will be decided as per the recommendations of the committee. 

“The Chief Administrator of Shree Jaganth Temple Administration (SJTA) has been appointed a member convenor of the committee while Puri collector, sand artiste Sudharshan Pattanaik, representative of Gajapati Maharaj, representative of ASI, and the former Odisha DGP Prakash Mishra are other members of the panel”. 

The new committee was formed following the direction of the high court, while disposing of a PIL on September 29, 2023, filed by BJP leader Samir Mohanty on the safety of Ratna Bhandar.