Bhubaneswar: Political slugfest between the principal Opposition BJP and the ruling BJD in Odisha over Puri Jagannath temple heritage project is taking a new turn as both the parties are indulging in a blame game.
BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi on Monday led yet another blistering attack on the state government raising questions over entrusting multiple responsibilities to a single official associated with the temple.
Now the former IAS officer-turned-politician has targeted the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
In a series of tweets, MP Sarangi revealed that the present Secretary of the Works Department and Chairman of Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation (OBCC), which is executing the Srimandir Parikrama Project, is also the Chief Administrator of Shri Jagannath Temple Administration ( SJTA).
The present Secretary,Works,Govt of Odisha & Chairman,Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation (OBCC), which is executing Srimandir Parikrama Project,is also the Chief Administrator of Shri Jagannath Temple Admnistration( SJTA).The previous Secretary,Works,also had similar charge.
— Aparajita Sarangi, Member of Parliament (@AprajitaSarangi) May 16, 2022
Is it a mere coincidence or it is by design? As Chief Administrator, SJTA, he is awarding the work to OBCC, passing bills & making payments.And as Chairman, OBCC, he has been entrusted to execute the work and receive payments.
— Aparajita Sarangi, Member of Parliament (@AprajitaSarangi) May 16, 2022
She also said the previous Secretary of the Works department also had a similar charge.
“Is this a mere coincidence or it is a design? As SJTA administrator, he is awarding work to OBCC, passing bills & making payments. As OBCC Chairman, he has been entrusted to execute work and receive payments,” Sarangi wrote.
She alleged that “This is a conflict of interest and violates all norms of financial prudence and the requirements of checks and balances.”
“Why so?? All of us would like to know. Isn’t it,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Archaeological Survey of India, which looks after the maintenance of Odisha’s most popular religious site, submitted a site inspection report after a Puri-based resident petitioned the court that new constructions underway around the temple pose a threat to the structural safety of 12th-century shrine.
