Puri: The expert committee Saturday examined the condition of the 12th century Sri Jagannath temple, sustained serious damage during landfall of cyclone Fani May 3 last.
Sources said the scaffolding raised by ASI horizontally along the temple collided on to the temple body and damaged some artefacts.
It was reported by the servitors that the storm water also gushed into Garbha gruha through the roof during the cyclone.
The Expert team examined Garbha gruha roof, first floor and second floor of the main temple and roof of Jaganmohan and that of Natamandop.
The team members also examined recently completed Jaganmohan repair work and Natmandop for several hours. Further examination of Natmandop would be conducted. The team also inspected cracks on the Garuda pillar.
The Expert Committee clarified that the Garbhgruha is safe and there was no damage to artefacts or temple structure in flower decoration.
The experts said the flooring work in temple kitchen would be completed and one defunct exhaust fan would be replaced while a team would find out the rainwater seepage route which would be sealed soon.
The status of the reinforced steel columns and capital beams supporting the original damaged columns and beams in Jaganmohan would be assessed further, a committee member told the media persons.
The experts will prepare a blueprint for the repairs and after the approval of the authority, it would be carried out.
Every year when the deities were away in Gundicha temple during Rath Yatra the core committee and ASI experts assess the status of the temple and necessary repairs were carried out before deities return to the main temple.
Fifteen member expert team comprising of structural engineers from central building research institute, Roorki, experts of archaeological survey of India (ASI) Ers.NC Pal, Bindheswari Patra, JK Das, P L Mahapatra and headed by Er.GC Mitra inspected the temple structure.
The State government had constituted a statutory core committee to monitor the repairing works in Sri Jagannath temple being executed by the ASI since 1974.
(UNI)
