Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Kendrapara district collector and superintendent of police, seeking an action-taken report within four weeks on the deteriorating condition of the 300-year-old Baladevjew Temple, one of Odisha’s most revered religious sites.
The NHRC’s directive, issued on Monday, has also been forwarded to Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja and Director General of Police YB Khurania for appropriate action.
The move follows a petition filed by human rights activist and lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, who highlighted the temple’s poor upkeep and alleged gross negligence by the temple’s endowment trust board, district administration, and police authorities.
Tripathy raised serious concerns about the unsanitary condition of temple toilets, the presence of alcohol consumption and anti-social activities within the premises, and a general lack of oversight that he said had compromised the sanctity of the sacred site. He pointed out that only 12 of the 40 installed CCTV cameras are functional, leaving the premises vulnerable and poorly monitored.
The petitioner also referred to a recent inspection by Deputy Commissioner of Endowments Dillip Kumar Satapathy, which revealed that sacred areas such as the Jhulan Mandap and Snana Mandap had been repurposed as storage spaces.
Tripathy alleged that the sub-collector, who serves as the working president of the Baladevjew Temple Endowment Trust Board, has shown little initiative in resolving the issues.
“Despite the state government’s extensive efforts to renovate temples across Odisha, the Baladevjew Temple—also known as Tulasi Khetra and venerated by lakhs of devotees—continues to suffer neglect,” Tripathy added.
Notably, the Baladevjew Temple manages the second-largest endowment trust board in Odisha, following the Jagannath Temple in Puri, underscoring its religious and administrative significance.
