Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday announced the formation of a high-level committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Arijit Pasayat for supervision of inventories of jewellery and other valuables stored in the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Patnaik announced the formation of the panel as per direction by the Orissa High Court for the proposed inventory of the Ratna Bhandar, which remain closed for decades.
The 12-member committee will be headed by former Supreme Court Judge Justice Arijit Pasayat and veteran cardiologist Ramakanta Panda will act as the vice-chairman of the panel which will monitor the process of inventory of valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar.
Other members of the committee included Dr Bidhubhushan Samal (former CMD of Allahabad Bank), AK Sabat (Chartered Accountant), a representative of Puri King Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, a representative of Archeological 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.
Orissa High Court in September last year had directed the state government to constitute a high-level committee for the supervision of the preparation of the inventory of Ratna Bhandar.