The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) is facing acute shortage of big logs of wood required for construction of the three chariots for the lord’s annual Rath Yatra scheduled on June 29.
The issue was discussed at the first festival coordination committee meeting held here on Thursday under the chairmanship of Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Central Division, SK Vashisth. “We require at least 42 big logs for making of Tumba (the middle of the wheels). But so far, the State Government could supply only 28 pieces of logs of the required dimension,” said an official after the meeting.As the required log size is not available in the forests under the Nayagarh Division, arrangement would be made to procure such big logs from nearby forests in the Daspalla and Boudh areas. The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Nayagarh assured the meeting that big logs would be provided soon.
Sources said that about 13,000 cubic feet of wood worth Rs 60 lakh is required every year for construction of the three temple-size chariots. Therefore, about 1,000 trees of 862 species need to be cut annually for construction of the chariots.Though environmentalists had earlier raised voice against cutting of large numbers of trees for making the chariots every year, crores of Jagannath devotees have demanded continuance of the tradition of celebrating the annual car festival with chariots made of fresh wood.