Latest news with #Digha
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Cancer ward for children at IGIMS to start functioning in June: Minister
1 2 3 Patna: The cancer ward for children at IGIMS here will start functioning from June, state health minister Mangal Pandey said on Friday after laying the foundation stone for the construction of a boundary wall, concrete road, drain and cable trench with an estimated expenditure of Rs16 crore on the hospital campus. "Two state-of-the-art operation theatres, physiotherapy machines and two dozen dialysis machines, besides a 20-bed creative care medicine unit at the IGIMS will also be inaugurated next month," the minister said, adding a multi-level car parking will be constructed on its campus as well at a cost of over Rs 76 crore like Patna Medical College and Hospital. Pandey further said work was going on projects worth Rs 701 crore at IGIMS, and further plans worth Rs 300 crore had also been approved for the expansion of health facilities there. "The state govt has made a provision of Rs 1,050 crore to develop IGIMS as a super specialty hospital of eastern India. "The number of seats for MBBS studies in IGIMS has now increased to 150. At present, a total of 1,700 beds are available here and an equal number of beds are being added. A lecture theatre will also be constructed at a cost of over Rs 96 crore, hostel for MBBS students for over Rs18 crore and an eight-storey dental hospital building will also come up at a cost of over Rs 91 crore at the IGIMS," he said. Digha MLA Sanjeev Chaurasia presided over the function in the presence of IGIMS director Dr Binde Kumar, hospital superintendent Dr Manish Mandal and Bihar Medical Infrastructure Development Corporation MD Dharmendra Kumar. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Puri temple admn suspends servitor for ‘role' in Digha shrine row
1 2 Bhubaneswar/Puri: Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Sunday suspended Daitapati servitor Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra for 30 days, barring his entry to the temple during the period for his role in the controversy surrounding Digha Jagannath temple's naming as 'Jagannath Dham'.Dasmohapatra, who is currently the secretary of Puri temple's Daitapati Nijog (a prominent association of servitors), faced disciplinary action for two specific violations — his false claim regarding the use of surplus neem wood from Puri temple's Nabakalebara ritual to create idols for the Digha shrine, and staying silent about the naming of the temple as 'Jagannath Dham' while attending its consecration ceremony on April 30. The suspension followed after he failed to give satisfactory answers to two show-cause notices. "Temple chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee suspended the senior servitor from his duties for one month. During this suspension period, Dasmohapatra is prohibited from participating in any service or rituals, and is not allowed to enter the temple," SJTA said in a order stipulates that Dasmohapatra must not influence or intimidate other servitors or interfere with temple services and rituals. Any violation could result in extended suspension and stricter penalties, the notice stated. The temple commander and senior supervisor will monitor and report his behaviour to the chief administrator."The administration reserves the right to cancel or withhold Dasmohapatra's dues and rewards if any misconduct is observed during or after the suspension period," the order repeated attempts, Dasmohapatra could not be contacted for his comment. On May 4, SJTA had asked Dasmohapatra to explain within seven days his controversial media statement about facilitating idol creation for the Digha temple using surplus neem wood from the Puri shrine. His statement had caused a stir, leading to a govt investigation that subsequently disproved his May 9, he was issued with a fresh notice and asked to explain within 48 hours whether he had expressed his opposition to naming the Digha shrine as 'Jagannath Dham' while attending its consecration ceremony."We found his replies unsatisfactory and took disciplinary action following the Shri Jagannath Temple Act of 1955," a temple official to Padhee, "This action has been taken to maintain discipline in the temple. It is everyone's duty to uphold the temple's traditions and dignity without pride or arrogance. Every servitor should be dedicated to Lord Jagannath. There will be zero tolerance to misconduct." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Shrine naming row: Mamata's action motivated by money, hints Puri Shankaracharya
1 2 Bhubaneswar: Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati on Wednesday criticised West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for using the term ' Jagannath Dham ' to describe the newly consecrated Digha temple , hinting her action may have been dictated by a recorded message from Hoshiarpur in Punjab where he had gone to attend an event, Saraswati, one of the four Shankaracharyas who head the four major Hindu mutts in the country, said, "Puri's economy and the sustenance of 'pandas' (servitors) and local shopkeepers depend on Bengali tourists visiting Puri," Shankaracharya said."A large number of tourists from West Bengal visit Puri. Mamata Banerjee thinks that if Jagannath temple is set up in West Bengal, the Bengali pilgrims will spend money only there. Mamata is clever. An economy game is being played in the name of Lord Jagannath," the Shankaracharya message comes a day after chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi wrote to Mamata to drop the name 'Jagannath Dham' from the Digha that calling the Digha shrine as 'Jagannath Dham' is wrong, the Shankaracharya said, "Everyone knows about the sacred Kashi Vishwanath temple. If the same name is applied to another shrine, it will not be acceptable. Lord Brahma had first installed Shree Jagannath idol in Puri temple . Later, Adi Shankaracharya again installed the 'Daru' (wooden) idols of Lord Jagannath."On Tuesday, Jyotish Peeth (Uttarakhand) Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati had also affirmed that the term 'Jagannath Dham' should be used exclusively for the Puri Puri seer also said Mamata wanted him to consecrate the Digha idols. "But I declined," he statement comes on a day Puri king and Jagannath temple managing committee (JTMC) chairman Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb seeking Iskcon's intervention to resolve the sensitive Lord Jagannath's primary servitor, Deb acknowledged being informed about Iskcon representatives' appointment to the Digha temple trust board. "I am informed that the Iskcon is also supervising the seva-puja in that (Digha) temple. I request you to use your good offices to convince the Digha temple trust board to desist from using the word 'Dham'. Naming the Digha temple as 'Jagannatha Dham' or 'Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre' amounts to a violation of scriptural injunctions and long-established tradition of Lord Jagannatha, which is hurting the religious sentiments of countless devotees around the world," the Puri king wrote in a letter to Goverdhan Das Prabhu, chairman of Iskcon's governing body commission, Mayapur, West Gajapati also pointed out that the Shankaracharyas of Puri and Jyotish Peeth have categorically stated that only Purushottama-kshetra Puri is the 'Jagannath Dham' and that no other temple or place should be called so.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Wood for Digha idols not from Puri shrine: Odisha government probe
Wood for Digha idols not from Puri shrine: Odisha government probe BHUBANESWAR: An Odisha govt probe has dismissed allegations that surplus wood from Puri Jagannath temple had been used to craft idols at the newly consecrated Jagannath shrine in Bengal's Digha, with officials attributing the controversy to a servitor's 'slip of tongue' in a television interview. Servitor Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, who attended the Digha temple's inauguration, had claimed during a TV interview in Kolkata that he used surplus wood from the 2015 Nabakalebara to craft the Digha shrine idols. "We got it investigated by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and found no truth in his claim. Dasmohapatra was summoned and asked by SJTA. Dasmohapatra admitted that it was a slip of tongue," law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said. The minister confirmed that SJTA officials spoke to temple craftsmen, who verified that excess wood was not taken out of the Puri shrine for the construction of Digha temple idols. An investigation revealed that Dasmohapatra had commissioned a Bhubaneswar-based artisan for the Digha idols. The SJTA's questioning of the artisan confirmed that he had sourced neem wood from a timber supplier for the project. "Dasmohapatra's lies and wayward media statement hurt the sentiments of devotees. It is now officially clear that our temple's surplus wood was not taken outside for any other purpose. Dasmohapatra has been asked to submit a written explanation. He is likely to face action (possible suspension for some days) as per the temple act," a SJTA official said. Minister Harichandan also announced enhanced security measures for Daru Ghara (where surplus wooden logs are stored) inside the shrine. "In 1995-96, following a faulty govt decision, the Daitapati Nijog had stored some surplus wood in their office within the temple premises. Now, we have decided to streamline the system. A committee has been set up to count the leftover wood in Daru Ghara and Daitapati Nijog's office. The wood will be shifted from the Nijog office and stored inside Daru Ghara, under SJTA's safe custody," the minister said.
Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘I don't need to steal': Mamata Banerjee on Jagannath Temple row, accuses Odisha of ‘targeting' migrants from Bengal
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticised Odisha, addressing the ongoing controversy surrounding the Digha Jagannath Dham and the alleged mistreatment of Bengali migrant labourers. Regarding the Digha temple, she refuted accusations of theft, stating, 'Jagannath Dham has massively affected you, hasn't it? It is being said that I even stole a neem plant. I have four neem plants in my own house. The mother of thieves shouts more… Mamata Banerjee doesn't need to steal from anywhere. Our deity is of marble. They should also know that one can buy a Jagannath statue.' The Chief Minister made these remarks after meeting MPs and MLAs in Murshidabad's Berhampore, where violence broke out last month. Banerjee dismissed claims that the West Bengal government used wood from the Puri shrine, asserting, 'Daitapati brought it, not from where they are claiming. I heard he was called yesterday, he straightaway told them it was false. It is heard that he has been questioned why he came here.' She further questioned Odisha's stance, highlighting Bengal's support during crises. 'So much jealousy of Jagannath Dham? When you face electricity scarcity, Bengal arranges it. I love Odisha. When, during a cyclone, all your wires get damaged, you seek our engineers. Despite us being affected by the cyclone too, we sent them. The maximum number of tourists from Bengal visit Puri and Odisha. Bengal tourists visit from here throughout the year. What is your problem if we have one Jagannath Dham? You stay happy, let Bengal also stay happy.' Banerjee also raised concerns about the alleged targeting of Bengali-speaking individuals in Odisha and other states. 'Why are you targeting and beating Bengali-speaking people? I have come to know that in Odisha, people are being beaten up for speaking in Bengali. Even in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, similar things happened.' She contrasted this with Bengal's treatment of migrant workers. 'You are targeting my migrant laborers for speaking in Bengali, but we will not do this. That is the difference between you and us. We in Bengal have 1.5 crore migrant labourers who work here — they are from different states,' she said. 'Jealousy has no cure. There is no medicine for jealousy. I do not want any misunderstanding with anyone. Our Chief Secretary is sending a letter to the Bihar, Rajasthan, and Odisha governments. Our DG has most probably already spoken to their DGP in Odisha. May good sense prevail… Please remember,' she said.
