A top official of the Puri district administration on Wednesday said that demolition of structures which are located within 75 metres from the Shri Jagannath Temple boundary wall will continue despite protest from monks and local residents.
Puri Collector Balwant Singh said this after meeting a 15-member delegation of local people comprising Puri MLA Jayant Sarangi and others.
"It is wrong to call it demolition activity. The administration has been pulling down unsafe structures and doing everything possible to secure the Sri Jagannth Temple. The eviction drive within 75 metres from the temple wall will continue," Singh told reporters after the meeting.
The Collector said that the main seat of mutts (monasteries) where the deities are installed will remain intact. But, all other structures including business establishments located in the mutt premises will be evicted, he said.
The district administration also rejected the allegation that the affected people are not getting compensation. The collector said he would take up the matter with the affected people.
Damodor Pradhani, a member of the delegation said: "The district collector has rejected our proposal to stop demolition of structures. We will take up the matter with the Chief Minister."
A resentment is brewing in the holy town after the district administration pulled down 300-year-old Nanguli mutt and 900-year-old Emar mutt located within 75 metre from the temple. There are plans to evict five more mutts in due course.
However, the district administration on Tuesday halted the eviction of Bada Akhada mutt after strong opposition from monks and inmates.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra at a press conference in Bhubaneswar, criticised the state government's act of demolishing ancient mutts in Puri.
"In last seven days, the state government has turned Puri town into a battlefield by deploying 50 platoons of police force and 22 bulldozers for demolition of century-old mutts ...," Mohapatra said.
The BJP leader also criticised the state government for winding up the Justice B P Das Commission before the panel submitted its final report on reforms.
The state government has not tabled the interim report of the commission based on which the administration is carrying out eviction drive in areas within 75 metres from the temple boundary wall, he alleged.
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