As per a direction by the Orissa High Court, the State Government has formed a high-level committee to supervise the preparation of the inventory of the Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath Temple at Puri.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday constituted the 12-member panel headed by former Supreme Court Judge Justice Arijit Pasayat for monitoring the process of inventory of valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar.
Other members of the committee included Dr Ramakanta Panda (vice-chairman), Dr Bidhubhushan Samal (former CMD of Allahabad Bank), AK Sabat (Chartered Accountant), a representative of Puri King Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, a representative of Archaeological Survey of India, Durga Prasad Dasmohapatra (servitor), Madhav Chandra Mohapatra (servitor), Jagannath Kar (servitor), Ganesh Mekap (servitor), Puri Collector and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator.
In September last year, the High Court had directed the government to constitute a high-level committee for the supervision of the preparation of inventory of Ratna Bhandar.
Replying to a query in the State Assembly during Vote-on-Account session in February, Law Minister Jagannath Saraka told that the Ratna Bhandar (treasure house) would be opened for repair work during Rath Yatra this year.
