The Odisha Government on Thursday submitted in the High Court the entire report of Justice P K Mohanty Commission that had made several recommendations to ensure safety and security of lakhs of devotees visiting the Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri throughout the year.
While the report was submitted in a sealed cover, the State government failed to submit the action-taken report (ATR) on it, which the High Court had sought last month while adjudicating on a PIL concerning the issue. Asking the government to positively submit the ATR within a week, the Division Bench of Justices A K Rath and B R Sarangi posted the matter to be taken up again on July 18.
Retired judge of Orissa High Court Justice P K Mohanty was appointed by the State government to head the one-man Judicial Commission to probe the November 2006 stampede in the Puri temple, in which at least six devotees died. Justice Mohanty was also asked to make recommendations to ensure the safety and security of devotees.
While the report along with the recommendations was submitted in 2009, it was tabled in the Assembly and later accepted by the State government. However, alleging that the government has completely ignored the recommendations of the Judicial Commission, social and political activist Chitta Ranjan Mohanty filed a PIL questioning the government’s motive.
Mohanty in his petition had alleged that due to improper security management by the State government, the historical marvel of the country is now under the scanner of terrorists. Annexing a newspaper report, the petitioner referred to recent video clips in the social media showing aerial views of the temple and the temple town.
The petition also questioned the “mismanagement” and “maladministration” of temple in disciplining the priests and servitors of the temple for which there have been lots of criticisms both inside the State and outside.
