Puri, July 9: Ratna Bhandar Supervisory committee chairman Justice Biswanath Rath Tuesday said expert groups will be engaged to identify ornaments and pearls in the Shreemandir treasure house. 

"We know that Ratna Bhandar ornaments have been divided into three categories- Never-use, regular-use, and daily-use ornaments. It is not easy to identify these valuables. Some of the pearls might be 15 hundred years old. Two groups of experts- one of goldsmiths and another of metrologists- should be engaged to identify the ornaments and pearls," said Justice Rath. 

Informing that the committee at its second meeting unanimously set July 14 to open the Ratna Bhandar, the panel head said the proposal has been sent to the Jagannath Temple Management Committee. The management committee will then seek the State government's permission. 

He said locks would be broken if keys failed to open them. "We discussed a standard operating procedure (SoP) in detail and sent the same to the government for approval."

Justice Rath stressed uninterrupted Darshan of deities during Ratna Bhandar's opening. Devotees may have Darsan of deities from a little distance and we expect good cooperation from them, he said. 

He added authorities had identified a temporary room for safekeeping and inventorizing ornaments during the repair of inner Ratna Bhandar.  

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