Puri : In a significant development, Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee member Ananta Tiadi has claimed that the 12th century shrine owns around 1.77 lakh acre land in and outside Odisha.
Tiadi informed this at a meeting of Srimandir managing committee Friday. He also produced several documents before the panel to support his claim.
Soon the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) officials collected photo copies of the above said documents for reference in future. It is learnt that the temple administration has taken Tiadi’s claim seriously.
Notably, it is said that Srimandir, the abode of Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra owns 60, 418 acres of land in and outside Odisha.
Sources claimed that Tiadi has sent details regarding Srimandir land to the Supreme Court of India. He has also sent photocopies of the documents to Puri district judge.
Social activists, intellectuals and devotees, meanwhile, urged the SJTA and the state government to verify Tiadi’s claim and take necessary steps to take control over Srimandir land.
“The SJTA should take appropriate steps to verify Tiadi’s claim. If it is found to be correct, then the temple administration and the state government should try to identify the temple plots. They should also take immediate measures to take control over the landed properties,” said a social activist.
It is worth mentioning here that many people have encroached upon the temple plots for years. The temple administration had so far sold away around 308 acres to interested parties and collected Rs 10.12 crore.
The SJTA had planned to sell away Srimandir landed properties to interested parties to augment funds for the 12th century shrine. The temple administration had formulated the Uniform Policy-2003 to lay down guidelines for the land sale.
Very recently, state government has given its approval to the Uniform Policy-2003, which would enable people to purchase Srimandir plots by paying fixed prices.
As per the policy, people, who have occupied Srimandir plots for at least 30 years, are bound to pay Rs 6 lakh per acre to regularise their ownerships over the lands. Similarly, people, who have acquired temple plots for over 20 years but less than 30 years, are supposed to pay Rs 9 lakh per acre to regularise their ownerships.
On the other hand, people, who have encroached upon Srimandir lands for more than 12 years but less than 20 years, would pay Rs 15 lakh per acre to purchase the plots.
According to sources, the SJTA had received at least 6,000 applications from interested parties to purchase Srimandir plots in last few years.