Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday dissolved the committee constituted during previous BJD regime for inventory of valuables stored in Ratna Bhandar (the treasury) of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.
A new committee has instead been reconstituted under the chairmanship of former judge of Orissa High Court, Justice Biswanath Rath. It comprises of 15 other members, including representatives of ASI and Gajapati Maharaj and Puri Collector, with chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) as the convenor.
“A high-level committee is reconstituted, under the chairmanship of Justice Biswanath Rath, to supervise Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee in carrying out inventorization of valuables, including jewelleries, stored in Ratna Bhandar,” the official notification said.
“The new committee will meet in Puri on July 6 to decide the date for opening of Ratna Bhandar and prepare modalities for the repair of the inner chamber and inventory of valuables stored inside it,” Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan told reporters.
He added that the panel will also decide which external agencies will be involved to examine the quality of the valuables stored in the treasury of the 12th-century shrine.
In March this year, the previous BJD government had formed a 12-member committee led by retired judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Arijit Pasayat, on the direction of Orissa High Court to supervise the inventory of jewellery and other valuables stored in Ratna Bhandar.
Justice Pasayat arrived in Bhubaneswar earlier in the day and was scheduled to chair a meeting of the committee in Puri on July 5. Besides the meeting of Ratna Bhandar Inventorisation Committee, his tour programme mentioned about inventory work between July 8 and July 27.
The New Panel: