Jagannath temple in Puri

Bhubaneswar, July 19: Three BJD MLAs today urged the state government to take up the matter of issuing a no-flying zone order over the Sri Jagannath temple in Puri again with the director general of civil aviation.

The director general of civil aviation (DGCA) had earlier turned down the proposal. On June 6, A.K. Bhardwaj, director of operations in the DGCA, had written to the state government: “The ministry of civil aviation has taken a policy decision that ‘no-flying zones’ are not to be created as they affect the safety and efficiency of flight operations. In view of the above fact, the request for declaring the premises of the Sri Jagannath temple of Puri as ‘no-flying zone’ cannot be considered.”

The temple administration had submitted a proposal to this effect to the DGCA on May 27, following concerns expressed by various circles over the security of the 12th century shrine and the possibility of a terrorist attack.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Assembly today, BJD leader Amar Prasad Satpathy said the matter should be pursued with the DGCA as the security of an ancient temple was involved.

“The state government should write to the DGCA once again citing all justifications,” he demanded.

Supporting him, his party colleague Debasis Nayak said the security arrangements adopted in Tirupati temple should be replicated in Puri Jaganath temple.

A team should visit Tirupati to study the security arrangements there.

BJD member Dibyasankar Mishra, who is a former pilot, said: “If the Centre objects to creation of a no-flying zone, it should declare the sky over Puri temple a restricted zone so that flying of an aircraft at low altitude in the area is prohibited.”

However, the state government did not react to the demand.

Earlier, chief administrator of Jagannath temple Arabinda Padhee had said that the temple administration was thinking of alternatives.

“I am suggesting the government to go for alternative technology such as installing a jammer to prevent taking photographs of the temple,” said the official.