Cuttack: The Orissa High Court Wednesday expressed its displeasure over lack of coordination between the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in repair of dilapidated structures at Puri Srimandir.
A division bench of justices Bishwajit Mohanty and Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi directed the ASI to file an affidavit on allegations of its non-cooperation with the SJTA regarding the temple repair. The bench posted the hearing to December 12.
In deference to an earlier order, SJTA executive engineer (civil) B Ashis Kumar Subuddhi filed an affidavit in the HC and alleged non-cooperation from the ASI on the issues of Srimandir repair.
Subuddhi informed the HC that the ASI is yet to provide a blueprint for renovation of crumbling structures of Srimandir near Garuda pillar and Jay-Vijay gate. “We had written to the ASI twice to keep us informed about its plan to carry out repair works at Srimandir, but to no avail. Besides, no official from the central agency participated in a special meeting of the Chhatisha Niyog convened to deliberate on the temple renovation November 2,” Subuddhi told the HC.
The SJTA also submitted an affidavit in connection with the posting of Srimandir interiors’ photos on social media by a scientist of Dhanbad-based Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR). The temple administration blamed the ASI for the incident as officials and experts of the central agency have been permitted to take photos of Srimandir interiors for renovation work. The CIMFR scientist was part of an ASI team that surveyed the sanctum sanctorum.
PNN