Amid a political row, a joint team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) inspected the ongoing work on the Puri Shree Jagannath Temple Heritage Corridor, the dream project of Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik.
With the help of laser distometer, ASI Regional Director Dillip Khamari, Superintendent Arun Mallick and Assistant Superintendent Chittaranjan Das and five technical engineers examined the depth of excavations and thickness of the concrete.
The ASI will prepare a map and report on how deep the soil has been dug for ongoing construction and what steps were taken before construction. The report will be filed as an affidavit in the High Court on May 9.
Khamari said: “We inspected the depth of construction with the help laser distometer. We will prepare a joint survey report and submit in the High Court.”
After reviewing the work, the special team held a meeting with the district administration at Niladri Bhakta Niwas.
Bhaba Tarana Sahu, sub-collector, Puri, said: “The ASI team inspected the surroundings.”
THE CONTROVERSY
The National Monument Authority (NMA) gave permission for the project work on September 13, 2021. The deadline is 2024.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, however, alleged unlawful digging activities, which could endanger the structure, were being carried out around the spot without taking permission from the ASI.
Responding to the allegation, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) said the project work was going on as per the law and the BJP is doing dirty politics.
In a letter, the NMA said that after examination of the case, “there was no objection under the assurance of strict compliance of the AMASR Act, 1958 section 2(dc) to the execution of certain works in the prohibited area”.
BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi said, “I am requesting the state government to take ASI’s approval for the developmental work of the ASI-protected monument.”
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