Post News Network
The allegation of building a second Jagannath temple at Puri is baseless and politically motivated. We do not have any such proposal. Iskcon would never dare build another Jagannath temple in the pilgrim city
banamali das | iskcon temple project director
Bhubaneswar: Puri collector Arabind Agarwal Tuesday submitted a detailed report to the urban development department on the proposed move by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) to construct a second Jagannath temple in the holy city.
The state government had directed Agarwal to submit a report after examining whether the Puri-Konark Development Authority (PKDA) had granted permission to Iskcon to construct the second ‘Jagannath Temple’ in Puri.
According to the report, Iskcon authorities had sought PKDA approval to construct a temple on 30.99 acres of land at Sipasarubali Mauza in 2012. However, PKDA did not approve the building plan as the proposed structure would be too close to the sea.
PKDA had provided a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Iskcon to carry on its temple construction on 18.65 acres of land after the outfit effected substantial change in its building plan.
The report also claimed that the proposed temple had received approval from the state pollution control board (SPCB). “PKDA had allowed Iskcon to construct a three-storied building up to 9 metres high for the temple. Though the project plan had mentioned about the construction of a temple, nowhere did it mention about the second ‘Jagannath temple’,” the report said.
Puri district administration sources said a brochure circulated by Iskcon had mentioned that the temple will have idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, Radha-Vrindaban Vihari and Gauranital. The brochure had claimed that the proposed temple will be popular as ‘Second Tirtha Khetra’.
“The brochure had claimed that the temple would be constructed on 52,000 sqft land and will have a guest house, Vaishnav haat, library, amphitheatre, restaurant and museum,” Puri district administration sources said.
The PKDA, meanwhile, directed Iskcon authorities to halt construction at the project site till a final settlement on the issue. PKDA directed the temple project director Banamali Das to depose before it January 29.
Earlier, housing and urban development minister Pushpendra Singhdeo said “I have directed the district collector of Puri who is also the vice-chairman of the PKDA to examine whether the Iskcon is allowed to construct a huge Jagannath temple at Puri. The collector will submit a report in this regard soon.”
Puri collector Arabind Agarwal said, “I have verified documents and found that PKDA has given permission to Iskcon for construction of a Radha-Krishna temple. There is no mention of Lord Jagannath in the proposal.”
The state government’s action came in response to a statewide outcry over the alleged bid of the society to build the second Jagannath temple at Puri.
The matter came into limelight after BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra alleged that Iskcon had been allowed to construct a huge Jagannath temple, just 2 km away from the ancient Srimandir in Puri.
Meanwhile, a group of people along with priests of the 12th century shrine at Puri staged a demonstration protesting Iskcon’s bid to construct the second Jagannath temple.
