Preferring to have a limited interference into the Covid-19 guidelines, the Orissa High Court has directed the State Government and the State Endowment Commissioner to take a view “as expeditiously as possible” with regard to providing financial assistance or ration kits to the servitors or in the alternative for reopening of the temples.
A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq has asked the Government to reopen the temples in a graded manner in accordance to the modalities decided by the Government after assessing the Covid-19 situation from place to place and time to time as per the earlier orders issued by the court in this regard.
“Take a view on the grievances of the petitioners with regard to (providing) financial assistance or ration kits, or in the alternative, for opening of temples…as expeditiously as possible, but not later than eight weeks from the date of copy of this order is produced before the authority,” the Bench, also comprising Justice BR Sarangi, ordered.
This court’s decision came while disposing of two writ petitions that had sought directions to extend financial relief to the servitors of registered temples for the period of lockdown. The petitions were filed by a servitor of Dadhibaman Dev Temple of Nayagarh district and an organisation of servitors of the same district.
Notably, all the temples in the State are closed ever since the first nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 24. While the Central Government allowed opening of religious places from June, the Odisha Government has, however, imposed additional restrictions and ordered closure of temples up to October-end.