Bhubaneswar: Following the demand of temple servitors, devotees and different religious organisations in Odisha, the state government has initiated a process Thursday for reopening of major temples.
Taking to twitter, Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy directed the Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) including several other major temples authorities to chalk out a plan for the reopening of the religious institutions.
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Tripathy has directed to prepare an action plan for devotees to visit shrines which are under control of the endowment department, with strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines and social distance. He also directed the respective district Collectors in the state to consult all stakeholders in this matter and submit a report within 10 days.
Servitors of major temples in Odisha had requested the state government to allow reopening of shrines. They had pleaded saying that they meet their household expenses with the donations made by devotees. The closure of temples due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has put their livelihoods at stake as they are solely dependent on different temples to eke out their living.
Notably, challenging the state government’s decision not to reopen temples and religious institutions including Jagannath temple in Puri, Cuttack-based advocate Jayanta Bal had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Orissa High Court a couple of days ago.
PNN
