It seems the Puri Jagannath Temple heritage project is getting increasingly controversial by the day. Though the administration has given compensation to many of the land oustees as per laws,however, some instances have put a question mark on smooth completion of the heritage project.
While it is facing challenges from saints and Sadhus after demolishing their centuries-old mutts and monasteries near the temple, the allotment of disputed plots to some land oustees has emerged as a bigger hurdle in completion of the multi-crore ambitious project in a stipulated time.
The problem for the administration is allotment of plots to some of the land oustees within 300 meters of temple as per its commitment. As per guideline, the residents would vacate their houses and leave for own accommodation after getting cost of their land and houses, besides other benefits. Those intending to get plots wouldn’t get cost of their evicted land. With other benefits, they would be provided homestead plots and money to construct new houses within 300 meters radius.However, the bone of contention was when six land oustees despite availing house costs, got homestead plots in Bagala Dharmasala, which is sub-judice in the Orissa High Court.
Yet in another instance, seven landoustees were allotted plots near Gadadhar School against which a servitor family has moved the court claiming the land to be his ancestral property since 1945. Now in both cases, the administration is unable to evict residents from near Jagannath Temple.