Sudarshan Maharana
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 23: A fresh face-off between Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has surfaced over repair and renovation of the Jagaomohan as Rath Yatra 2016 draws closer.
SJTA chief Suresh Mohapatra squarely blamed ASI for the delay in the repair and renovation work stating that the central body is “not showing any seriousness” in this regard.
The SJTA reportedly expressed its unwillingness to the proposal of ASI to provide more working hours for its field staff inside the temple every day and criticized it over IIT-Madras expert team’s delay in conducting study on cracks and the mode of repair.
ASI Director General Rakesh Tewari, in a letter to Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, a copy of which was forwarded to SJTA, June 10 this year, had said, “Field officers raise difficulties as a limited time of three to four hours is made available daily for working inside Jagamohan,” which will make it difficult to achieve the desired progress” and urged the authorities to extend maximum time for working at the site.
However, speaking to Orissa POST, SJTA chief administrator Suresh Mohapatra came down heavily on the central body. “They were allowed to work for seven to eight hours during Chandan Yatra, but they did hardly anything and now seek more time.”
“They (ASI) are not showing any interest. The IIT-Madras team was supposed to carry out its study by now and submit its report within two months (by July). One month has already passed and they are informing us that the team will arrive July 7 and 8 (after Rath Yatra day),” Mohapatra rued, stating, “The work will be further delayed in the month of Kartik given the thousands of devotees who will throng the temple every day.”
“I have written a letter to ASI over the delay in repair work and have asked to send the expert team at the earliest, he added.
Moreover, the temple authorities have removed all scaffoldings in view of the Rath Yatra which the ASI DG had said not to remove stating that “this may delay work and affect the structural stability of Jagamohan.” He had suggested that the best option will be minimum removal of scaffoldings making it clear that if completely removed the onus will not be on ASI.
Mohapatra, on the other hand, said it was the ASI authorities who had previously asked for removal of scaffoldings saying partial removal may pose more risk. ASI officials couldn’t be reached for their comments.
Notably, the condition of the inside of Jagamohan is alarming due to severe distress, cracking of capitol stone layers atop the pillar head of the four central columns and extensive structural cracks in stone beams over these columns supporting the pyramidal roofing structure (Jagamohan) and needs immediate repair and restoration.
