
SAMBALPUR: A team of experts from Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla visited the sanctum sanctorum of Samaleswari temple here on Monday.
The team led by the vice-chancellor of VSSUT, Prof Dipak Kumar Sahoo conducted a technical inspection to assess the need for a proper smoke ventilation system within the temple’s inner chamber and spire.
President of the temple trust board, Sanjay Baboo welcomed the delegation and extended full cooperation during the inspection.
The expert panel assured that necessary technical maps and recommendations regarding the ventilation system would be submitted to the state Archaeology department and the temple trust board. The team also held discussions with superintendent of the state Archaeology Ashwini Satapathy on the issue.
Members of the delegation included Prof Sudhanshu Sekhar Das (Civil Engineering), Prof Sanjay Patra, Prof Ramakant Panigrahi, Bharati Mahapatra (Architecture), Krushna Prasad Sadangi (Chemical Engineering), Gyanaranjan Biswal (Electrical Engineering), Hrusikesh Barik (Mechanical Engineering) and researcher Abhishek Panda (Civil Engineering).
The visit of the VSSUT team came following a request from the Sambalpur collector to assess the need for a ventilation system in the shrine’s sanctum sanctorum which is often filled with smoke during puja rituals.