Bhubaneswar, (Orissa Today),July 5: On Thursday, the Odisha government dissolved the committee formed during the previous BJD regime to inventory the valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri. Instead, a new committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of former Orissa High Court Judge, Justice Biswanath Rath.
The reconstituted committee includes 15 members, among them representatives from ASI, Gajapati Maharaj, Puri Collector, and the Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) as the convenor.
According to an official notification, the new high-level committee is tasked with supervising the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee in conducting the inventory of valuables, including jewelry, stored in the Ratna Bhandar. Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan informed reporters that the committee will convene in Puri on July 6 to determine the opening date of the Ratna Bhandar, establish procedures for repairing the inner chamber, and conduct the inventory of stored valuables.
Additionally, the panel will decide on engaging external agencies to assess the quality of the treasures housed in the 12th-century shrine’s treasury.
Earlier this year in March, the former BJD government had formed a 12-member committee led by retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice Arijit Pasayat, following the directive of the Orissa High Court to oversee the inventory process of jewelry and other valuables in the Ratna Bhandar.
Justice Pasayat had arrived in Bhubaneswar on the same day and was scheduled to preside over a committee meeting in Puri on July 5. His agenda included overseeing the inventory work from July 8 to July 27.
Odisha reorganizes committee for Ratna Bhandar inventory
