CUTTACK: The Jagannath Temple's administration is overstaffed and there is an urgent need to trim it, Puri district judge Ambuja Mohan Das has informed the Supreme Court in a report on reforms at the shrine.In the report, which he submitted to the apex court on June 26, Das has said the temple administration's sanctioned strength is 547. Of this, 234 posts are vacant. He has also said the staff includes185 Jagannath Temple Police (JTP) personnel, which should be reduced to 50."As security in the temple is maintained by the state police, there is no need to deploy JTPs," Das said. He has suggested that the JTP be given separate uniforms. At present, they wear uniforms similar to those worn by police personnel. This creates confusion among the devotees, the report says.The district judge has also recommended that the shrine management take control of the rosaghar (kitchen) of the Jagannath Temple to ensure hygiene and cleanliness. Besides, the temple management should hang a chart with the rates of the different kinds of mahaprasad sold to the devotees. At present, the kitchen of the temple is managed by the Suar and the Mahasuars sevayats.The report also suggests that measures should be taken to ensure public accountability of temple funds. The judge has quoted a report of the auditor general, which points out deficiencies in fund management.He has also said the temple fund audit report should be placed before the state assembly and uploaded online so that the public can access it.Another important suggestion made by the judge is construction of public toilets for devotees, sevayats and staff of the temple at each gate of the shrine.The report also proposes the introduction of the queue system inside the temple to ensure hassle-free darshan and abolition of the hereditary system of sevayats.

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