Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has decided to put restrictions on the use of mobile phones by officials, police and servitors in the Puri temple.
This decision was taken during a meeting of ‘Chhatisa Nijoga’ of the temple held here Saturday evening.
Speaking to media persons, SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee said the restriction will be imposed for the temple police and other officials in the first phase and later will be extended to servitors too.
“In case of any emergency or for communication of important messages, the officials can go to a designated place and use the mobile,” Padhee said, adding, “No one will be allowed to blatantly use mobile phone inside the temple.”
The temple administration will issue guidelines for this purpose. If anyone is found to be indisciplined, action will be taken against him, warned Padhee.
At present, carrying mobile phone or any camera device into the 12th-century shrine has been completely banned for devotees. However, some police officers and servitors of the temple are allowed to carry the device for necessary communication, an official said.
On the proposed queue-based darshan system, the ‘Chhatisa Nijoga’ has decided to introduce it on an experimental basis after holy Odia month ‘Kartik’.
Details of rituals of the temple for the holy Odia month were also prepared during the meeting, he said.
During the meeting, it was also decided to approach the government for the shifting of over 500 silver ingots recovered from Emar Mutt in 2011 and 2021 to the temple, Padhee said, adding, “We hope that the silver ingots will be handed over to the SJTA”.
PTI
