Puri, Apr 4: A gradual decrease in water level in the holy Ganga-Yamuna Well on the Shreemandir premises here has worried devotees and temple authorities. The water from the Ganga-Yamuna well is used in preparation of Mahaprasad.

Now, the well has failed to provide sufficient water for the purpose. According to the information, the water level in the well has gone down by 1.6 metre feet in the last few years. As a result, Suars and Mahasuars have been depending on boring water for cooking Mahaprasad for the last 15 years.

Not only the Srimandir, the water level is continuously going down in the entire Shrikshetra. Ground-water level has also decreased in the Loknath Temple area. The water level of Loknath Temple has decreased by 1.71 meters. It has been a matter of concern in the shrine now.

Suar and Mahasuars have blamed hotels and business units around the Shreemandir for drawing massive amounts of groundwater for daily use. They have demanded a limit imposed on the hotels and business units on the use of groundwater.

"Groundwater is decreasing gradually because hotels and businesses are drawing massive amounts of water from the ground around the Shreemandir. Some restrictions should be imposed on them," said Narayan Mahasuar, Secretry, Suar Mahasuar Nijog.

The water from the Ganga and Yamuna rivers is being used to prepare 'mahaprasad "at the temple. The water is clean and pure. But due to the continuous decline in the water level, boring water has been used for preparing Mahaprasad for the last 15 years. The use of boring water is against the tradition of Shreemandir. Therefore, the demand for the restoration of the Ganga-Jamuna well has been mounting for a long time.

When asked, Puri district Collector and Deputy Chief Administrator of the Shreemandir, Siddhartha Sankar Swain, said that necessary steps would be taken soon.

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