Centre withdraws draft heritage bylaws on Jagannath Temple
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The announcement got here after delegations of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Biju Janata Dal met Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel in New Delhi individually demanding its withdrawal.
Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel on Monday introduced the withdrawal of the draft Heritage bylaws for Shri Jagannath Temple, Odisha, issued by National Monuments Authority (NMA).
The announcement got here after delegations of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Biju Janata Dal met Mr. Patel in New Delhi individually demanding its withdrawal.
“Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi and BJP Members of Parliament met and informed me about draft notification which was issued without knowledge NMA chairman. This is withdrawn immediately,” stated the Minister in a tweet.
The NMA, Union Ministry of Culture, not too long ago got here up with heritage bylaws for Shri Jagannath Temple, Odisha, which proposed to limit constructions which didn’t affirm with heritage zone situations.
“No construction or re-construction of any building, within a radius of 100 metres, or such other higher distance from any archaeological site, as may be decided by the Archaeological Survey of India and Orissa State Archaeology Department from time to time, from the outer boundary of a declared protected monument shall be permitted,” the draft bylaws said.
It added that no building above the primary ground and above 7 (seven) metres shall be allowed past a radius of 100 metres and inside a radius of 300 metres.
The State authorities thought of that the bye-laws would have hampered the grand infrastructure growth deliberate round Twelfth-century Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Earlier on Monday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had toughened his stand on the bylaws insisting on its full withdrawal.
Mr. Naveen Patnaik, who visited the temple to supply prayers for the primary time after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the nation, stated on Monday “the Central government must remove these new bylaws. Nobody can stop the good work of Lord Jagannath.”
“I thank the people of Puri, who have sacrificed their lands for development of Shree Mandir. The sacrifices will not go waste,” Mr. Patnaik identified.
Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), which manages the affairs of the Jagannath Temple, had formally lodged its objection with the NMA and sought withdrawal of the notification on Sunday.
“Large number of habitations (Sahis) which are more than a millennium old also exists around the temple. These habitations are of mainly Sevayat (traditional priest) families. As they are likely to be severely and adversely affected by any intervention of the authorities like this notification, they must be consulted before any process to restrict their rights is undertaken by the NMA,” SJTA chief Krishnan Kumar had written.
Stating that the State authorities not too long ago acquired lands and properties for strengthening and safety of the centuries-old shrine for the undertaking of Shree Jagannath Heritage Corridor, he had identified any regulation which had the potential to limit growth of services and facilities on land voluntarily contributed by devotees of Lord would damage their sentiments.
