Odishatv Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Oct 26 (PTI) With religious fundamentalists active in some parts of the country, the Odisha government on Friday asked the police to prepare a comprehensive security plan within a month for ensuring safety of important temples, mosques, churches and other places of worships in the state.

A decision was taken at the State Level Security Committee Meeting here chaired by Chief Secretary B K Patnaik. "About 42 temples, mosques, churches and other holy places in the state have been enlisted to be covered under the proposed plan," said a senior official after the meeting.

The prominent monuments which have been identified to be covered under the plan included Sri Jagannath Temple Puri, Sri Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar, Sun Temple at Konark, Mosque at old station road Rourkela, Baptist Church, Cuttack, Mosque at Nala Road Rourkela, Kadam Rasool, Cuttack, Church at Cantonment Road, Cuttack, Catholic Church, Rourkela, Catholic and Baptist Churches, Phulbani.

Other places included: Nilamadhaba Temple, Kantilo, Samaleswari Temple, Sambalpur, Tarini Temple at Ghatgaon, Bhagbati Temple at Banapur, Chandi Mandir at Cuttack , Kapilash Temple in Dhenkanal, Harisankar Temple in Bolangir, ISKON temple, Bhubnaeswar, Old Gurudwaras at Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Rourkela, Taratarini Temple Ganjam and Akhandalamani Temple at Aradi of Bhadrakh district.

While the security arrangement at Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri has been augmented and some other steps are in the pipeline, the state government has to take up security measures at other places, the official said. It has also been decided that one fire service vehicle will be stationed inside the police station campus of Lingaraj temple here for in case of emergency requirement.

The Chief Secretary has directed that such vehicles should also be utilized in case of fires in the locality.

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