NHRC Seeks Report on Neglect of Kendrapara’s Baladevjew Temple

Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Kendrapara district collector and superintendent of police, demanding an action-taken report within four weeks over the alleged deterioration and mismanagement 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 necessary action.

The move follows a petition filed by noted human rights activist and lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, who alleged gross negligence by the temple’s endowment trust board, district administration, and local police authorities. He pointed to the temple’s poor maintenance, unhygienic conditions, and an overall failure to preserve the sanctity of the sacred site.

Tripathy highlighted the alarming state of temple toilets, reports of alcohol consumption, and anti-social activities taking place within the premises. He further stated that only 12 out of 40 installed CCTV cameras are currently functional, compromising the security of the temple.

The petitioner also referred to a recent inspection by Deputy Commissioner of Endowments Dillip Kumar Satapathy, which revealed that sacred spaces like the Jhulan Mandap and Snana Mandap are being used as storage areas. He alleged that the sub-collector, who serves as the working president of the Baladevjew Temple Endowment Trust Board, has shown little initiative to rectify the situation.

Tripathy questioned why the historic temple—also known as Tulasi Khetra and deeply revered by lakhs of devotees—remains neglected despite the Odisha Government’s widespread efforts to renovate temples across the state.

The Baladevjew Temple holds significant religious and administrative value, as it manages the second-largest endowment trust board in Odisha, after the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.