Puri Heritage Corridor Row: HC Allows ASI More Time To File Affidavit, Reiterates Joint Inspection Of Site

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has again directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Odisha government to carry out a joint inspection of construction activities under the Heritage Corridor Project around Jagannath Temple in Puri.

The order followed ASI’s appeal for two more weeks’ time to file a detailed report on the inspection. The court has posted the next hearing to May 16.

On April 8, the HC had directed the ASI to file an affidavit by April 17 to counter allegations that constructions undertaken as part of the project pose a threat to the structural safety of the 12th-century shrine while hearing a PIL. The petitioner had sought the court’s intervention on the basis of the reservations the ASI director-general had reportedly expressed in the course of discussions with state government officials as well as the at ASI’s field office during a visit to Puri on February 22.

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, advocate Anup Kumar Mohapatra on Thursday told the court certain documents filed by them clearly establish that the state government had no permission to take up those constructions. “If the constructions continue, cracks will develop on Srimandir,” he added.

The HC bench, however, said that they cannot move on the matter without ASI’s counter. “Let the ASI file a counter-affidavit. They have been asking for time. If there any danger you apprehend in the meanwhile, you can file an application,” the court said.

Advocate General A K Parija, appearing on behalf of the state government and the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration, said no communication has been received from the state government for the joint inspection so far.

Notably, even as the two-judge bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice R K Pattanaik had then sought responses from the state government and ASI on whether permission had been obtained for carrying out such construction, , the Puri administration refilled the pits dug around the temple.

Meanwhile, a team of the Parliamentary Committee of Union Tourism and Culture department visited Puri on Thursday. ADG of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Alok Tripathi and ASI Superintending Archaeologist (Bhubaneswar circle) Arun Malik Arun Mallick accompained the team.