Berhampur, Feb. 3: The Jagannath temple administration of Puri has opened a branch here to take possession of the land belonging to them.

The temple administration intends to collect the revenue from the land and sell it off in case of necessity.

“Huge patches belonging to the temple are lying vacant in Puri, Khurda, Cuttack and Ganjam districts in the state and even in Srikakulam district of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh,” said the temple's chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee, who also happens to be the revenue divisional commissioner (southern division) here.

The temple administration appointed retired collector of Gajapati district Prakash Chandra Dash as an officer-on-special-duty and retired assistant settlement officer Khitish Patnaik as coordinating officer of the Berhampur branch office.

A few years ago, a branch office of the Jagannath temple administration was opened at Lochapada here to collect land revenue for the temple. But, the jurisdiction of the branch office has now been widened further.

The Jagannath temple administration owns about 56,858 acres in 23 districts of the state. “Of this, about 25,000 acres have been taken possession by the temple administration. Efforts are on to identify the remaining land,” said Padhee.