BHUBANESWAR: The controversy surrounding alleged violations of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (AMASR Act) in the implementation of the ambitious Srimandir Parikrama Project reached the Parliament on Thursday with Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi raising the issue and demanding stopping of the work immediately in the 100 metre prohibited zone.
Stating that AMASR norms do not allow any constructions within s prohibited zone of the Centrally-protected Shri Jagannath Temple at Puri, she said that work is being carried out in gross violation of the rules, posing a threat to the 12th-century monument. As a part of the Parikrama project, public amenities are being set up within the 75 meter radius of the ancient temple.
“The temple of Mahaprabhu Jagannath is a priceless heritage for all Hindus and its protection is our responsibility. The Parliament had passed AMASR Act in 1958 which prohibits any kind of new construction within 100 mtr of a Centrally-protected monument and regulates constructions within 200 mtr of the monument with permission from the National Monument Authority.
It comes as a surprise for all Odias that the Odisha government has been carrying out massive digging around the temple without the permission of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and National Monument Authority (NMA),” the MP said in the Lok Sabha.
Sarangi further said that she is in favour of the development and beautification of Srimandir and Puri but works being carried out in gross violation of norms should be immediately stopped. The MP who had discussed the issue with the Director-General of ASI V Vidyavathi at New Delhi on Wednesday pointed out that when work on the Parikrama Project began, a consultative committee was formed by the Odisha government but no officer of ASI – the custodian of the temple - was made a part of this panel.
“How can work on Srimandir be done without ASI being a part of the whole process,” she asked. Besides, heritage impact assessment study and ground-penetrating radar survey were not done before the work began, she said. “This matter is related to Lord Jagannath and emotions of 4.5 crores Odia people,” she said.
Seeking the intervention of the Culture Ministry into the issue, Sarangi said that the work on the project should be immediately stopped as it is a violation of the AMASR Act.
Countering Sarangi’s statement, Puri MP Pinaki Misra informed the Lower House that there is no violation in ongoing construction works for the project. “Only four toilets are coming up in the area, two for women and as many for men. The work is being carried out after getting a NOC from the NMA and ASI is also a part of the project,” he informed.
Misra said that all works under the Naveen Patnaik government so far have been carried out with strict adherence to norms and this is why the people of Odisha have been voting him to power for the last 22 years. “There is no question of threat to the structural stability of the temple,” he said.