CUTTACK: Orissa High Court has asked Director General of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to be present in the Court on December 23 in connection with two PILs on renovation and repair work of Puri Jagannath Temple and Sun Temple at Konark.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the submission of Superintending Archaeologist of ASI, Bhubaneswar Circle, Arun Malik on the repair works in Jagannath temple, the division bench of Chief Justice KS Jhaveri and Justice KR Mohapatra have summoned the ASI DG.
Malik had filed status reports by way of affidavits on Monday on the restoration work at the Jagannath Temple and conservation measures planned for Konark Temple. But, the Court had asked Malik to be present on Tuesday for further hearing on the affidavits.
Accordingly, Malik made his submissions in Jagannath Temple repair case but the division bench was not satisfied with his explanation particularly in connection with restoration work of Natamandap.
During subsequent hearing on Konark Temple conservation case, the division bench also passed an identical order.
The Court was hearing a PIL filed by social activist Abhisek Das on renovation and repair work at Jagannath Temple in Puri and another PIL filed by advocate Dillip Kumar Mohapatra on conservation of Konark Temple. The Court had appointed advocate NK Mohanty as amicus curiae in both the cases.
In his affidavit, Malik had submitted updated status of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of distressed beam Natamandap of Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri as on September 15, 2019.
“The roof treatment of Natamandap has been taken up with due consultation Prof SK Bhattacharaya of IIT, Kharagpur. The basic formalities for award of work are being completed and it will be executed shortly,”Malik had stated in his affidavit.
The bench, however, felt that the ASI seems to be making virtually no progress in the restoration work at Natamandap in the last few months.