Government project work may have caused damage to Jagannath Temple: ASI to Orissa HC
India Today
The Archaeological Survey of India on Monday informed the Odisha High Court that the ongoing construction work of the Puri Heritage Corridor may have caused damage to the 800-year-old Jagannath Temple.
The Archaeological Survey of India on Monday informed the Odisha High Court that the ongoing construction work of the Puri Heritage Corridor may have caused damage to the 800-year-old Jagannath Temple.
Adding to this, it said that the state government project is being carried out without valid permission from the competent authority, reported news agency PTI.
Taking a serious view on the affidavit submitted by ASI, the Court cautioned the state government and asked to ensure that no damage is caused during further construction.
The ASI through an affidavit submitted before the High Court bench clearly mentioned that it has not given nod for any type of excavation or construction work in the 100-metre prohibited area around the Jagannath Temple as per the guidelines of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958.
Protests had erupted in the temple city in the past two months over excavations as much as 20ft deep carried out using JCB machines, some of which were just 7 metres from the temple zone. Defending the digging, Puri district administration had said it had approval from the National Monuments Authority (NMA).
However, the affidavit filed by Dilip Kumar Khamari, Regional Director (East) of ASI mentioned that the drawings and structural designs included in the revised detailed project report (DPR) are different from the one presented to National Monuments Authority (NMA).
The digression has been observed during the joint inspection followed by onsite discussions with officials of the Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation (OBCC) and the Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA).
