Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: Law minister Arun Kumar Sahoo has convened a meeting here Friday of the core committee formed to suggest remedial measures for repair of the Jagmohan of the Jagannath temple in Puri.
The meeting has been called in the wake of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) rejected the state government’s proposal to install stainless a steel structure in the Jagamohan.
“A core committee meeting has been called Friday evening as the ASI has rejected our proposal. The government will take action according to the recommendations of the panel,” said a senior official of the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on condition of anonymity.
The government would explore all possible options for early repair of Jagmohan, as the structure is in urgent need of repair, he said.
An agreement signed in 1979 between the temple management committee and the ASI empowers the temple committee to assume responsibility for maintenance of the of the 12th century shrine after 1982, sources said. SJTA chief administrator Suresh Mohapatra held a meeting Thursday evening with experts and core committee members in this regard.
The ASI director general has rejected the estimate for repair made by the core committee and formed a panel led by the joint DG of ASI to re-inspect the condition of Jagmohan condition and make a fresh estimate, according to sources. The DG also opposed the state’s move for installing a steel frame inside Jagmohan.
The core committee had estimated an expenditure of Rs 2.5 crore towards purchase of stainless steel to be used in the repair work. A high-level meeting of ASI held May 5 in New Delhi disapproved of such a plan and formed another committee for survey.
The committee led by the ASI joint DG will inspect the cracked area of the Jagmohan again with the help of an expert from IIT, Madras. The ASI will search for an alternative to steel, sources said.
The state government has also initiated steps to purchase 64 tonnes of steel to repair four beams and eight pillars, which have developed cracks, they said.
