Unsafe portion of Emar mutt to be demolished

PURI: The unsafe portion of the Emar mutt will be demolished soon.A committee headed by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (central) P K Mohapatara on Sunday decided to submit a report to the Orissa High Court regarding demolition of the unsafe Mutt building and rehabilitation of shopkeepers. According to reports, the administration had earlier issued notification on demolition of unsafe portion of the Emar mutt, located in front of the temple main gate. Mahant of the mutt had moved the High Court which then directed the authorities concerned to work for preservation of the Mutt. An inspection was later carried out following which, the engineers said damaged portion of the Mutt building was beyond repair and needs to be demolished. On the other hand, 12 shopkeepers who are operating from the damaged portion of the Mutt raised objection stating that they would lose their livelihood if the portion was demolished.RDC Mohapatra on Sunday morning held a meeting of all officials concerned, including Mahant of the Mutt. It was resolved to demolish the damaged portion and the Mahant agreed to make provision for the shopkeepers to operate from a new complex that would be raised by him.The RDC will submit his report in this regard to the High Court soon.Meanwhile, demolition of Badachhata Mutt is in progress. Workers of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have  already demolished a portion of the Mutt for posing structural threat to the Jagannath temple.This comes a week after some parts of Chhauni mutt were pulled down.The High Court recently passed the demolition orders following observations made by experts of Jagannath temple administration, another expert committee constituted by the HC and two HC judges on different occasions. Both the mutts, believed to be more than 500 years old, existed adjacent to the boundary wall of Jagannath temple’s entrance (Lion Gate).