Refusing to accept an affidavit filed by the regional head of the Archaeological Survey of India, the Orissa High Court on Monday directed the ASI Director General to file a comprehensive report stating in detail the present condition of the Sun Temple at Konark.
Alleging poor maintenance and conservation of the 13th century ruins of the Black Pagoda by the ASI, a city-based advocate Dilip Kumar Mohapatra had approached the High Court with a PIL seeking a direction to the organisation to take effective steps within stipulated time to remove waterlogging during monsoon and preserve the monument.
Fresh affidavit
Adjudicating over the petition last month, a Division Bench of the High Court, headed by Chief Justice K.S. Jhaveri, had asked the ASI to file a report on the current status of the temple in the form of an affidavit.
Odisha circle ASI chief Arun Mallick in an affidavit on Monday told the High Court that the remnants of the 750-year-old temple are now safe. “There is no immediate threat to the structure and all repair works of the temple are being carried out in accordance to the ethics of conservation,” the affidavit stated.
Relying upon various newspaper reports and views of experts, petitioner advocate Ashok Mohaptra alleged that the ASI is is trying to mislead the people of the State and the High Court.
