Union Steel Minister Calls For Study On Quality Of Iron Used In Konark Temple

Puri: Union Minister for Steel Ram Chandra Prasad Singh was surprised to see the present condition of massive iron beams which were used in construction of the Sun temple at Konark which have not corroded even after 800 years of exposure to saline water and air.

The Union Minister, who is in the state to attend the two-day ‘Conference of Ministers of Mines & Industries, had visited the UNESCO heritage site earlier in the day and was left speechless at quality of iron beams.

Speaking to mediapersons he said, “use of metals, especially iron was rampant, at the time of construction of Sun Temple. However, the metallurgical quality of iron used in construction of the temple is beyond comprehension. There should be proper study on the quality of this iron.”

“Modern know-how will continue to evolve. However, we have to study about old technology as well. We could learn a lot from it,” he said.

Singh chaired a conference with Mines and Industry Ministers of mineral-rich states of the country at Konark. Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and hosts Odisha are participating in the conference.

Speaking at the conference, the Minister said discussions were held on creating an environment in which states and Ministry of Steel can work together to realise India’s vision of 300 MT steel production by 2030.