After a failed attempt to open the Ratna Bhandar of the
Jagannath Temple at Puri in 2018, the Orissa High Court again on
Tuesday took up a fresh writ petition in this connection and issued notice to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) asking it to submit a report in an affidavit within four weeks mentioning how long the treasury of the Lords has not been opened and for what reasons.
A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice S Muralidhar refused to entertain at least three writ petitions in this connection but accepted the one filed by one Abhisek Das of Puri, who has sought judicial intervention for taking stock of the valuables inside the Ratna Bhandar, which has two chambers as storehouses of jewellery and precious stones.
The court fixed January 5, 2023 for the next hearing.
The petitioner’s lawyer Alok Mohapatra informed that during the course of hearing of the matter, the amicus curie submitted a report to the court stating that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is
carrying out necessary repair works of Jagamohan (assembly hall) and
Nata Mandap (song and dance hall) of the temple and the works would be over by March 31, 2023.
The report also mentioned that the ASI is
currently removing sand from the Konark temple and a final report in
this connection would be submitted to the court once the work is over.