Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday urged Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma to take measures to mitigate the waterlogging problem faced by people visiting Sun Temple at Konark or permit the state to do it.
In a letter to Sharma, Naveen said, “The Sun Temple is an exceptional testimony, in physical form, of the 13th-century, under the reign of Narasimha Deva I (AD 1238-1264). This temple complex is now facing a perpetual problem of water logging which affects the temple very much causing problems to the visiting tourists as well as hurting the emotions of the people.”
He said it was now imperative to take up measures to drain out water from the temple premises for enhancing its longevity as well as to facilitate visitors to witness the glory and grandeur of the standing 13th-century edifice.
He urged Sharma to ask the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the custodian of the temple, to take up immediate steps for proper drainage of water on a permanent basis.
“Considering the seriousness of the issue, the state government would be extremely keen to take up the drainage work, if ASI gives due permission”, he stated.
However, what is important is that the flood problem that poses threat to this World Heritage Monument is immediately attended to and a permanent solution is found, the CM pointed out.
While taking up a small-scale test-digging in 2003, an original drainage system was noticed, which might have served the purpose of draining out the rain water from the temple precinct, he added.
UNESCO declared the Sun Temple of Konark as a World Heritage Monument in 1984.The ruins and the conserved structure delineates the culture, literature, art, heritage and history of the bygone era, particularly, it represents the creative brilliance of Odisha’s unique temple architecture and craftsmanship.
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