Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Monday directed the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Usha Sharma, to complete the repair of Nata Mandap of Jagannath Temple in Puri in four months.
The court also directed the ASI DG to prepare a compressive project plan to undertake the repair and renovation of the Sun Temple at Konark.
The court posted the next hearing of the case to May 4.
Talking to the media later, senior lawyer Nagendra Mohanty, who is appointed as the amicus curiae by the High Court to oversee the repair of the shrines, said that he had submitted a report to the court mentioning the delay in the repair of Nata Manap by one and half year. Acting on the report, the Chief Justice had asked the ASI DG to personally appear in the court. “The Chief Justice directed the ASI DG to complete the repair of the Nata Mandap in four months,” he added.
Present during the hearing, petitioner’s counsellor Ashok Mahapatra said that the court directed the ASI DG to complete the repair work of the Nata Mandap and the ongoing repair of the Sun Temple.
“However, the court, while directing the ASI to prepare a detailed project for the comprehensive repair of the Sun Temple, told the ASI DG to apprise the court of the financial assistance required for the overall repair and renovation of the 13th century shrine so that it can issue a directive to the state government and the Centre accordingly,” Mahapatra pointed out.
