Bhubaneswar: Amid mounting controversy over the Srimandir Parikrama project, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage has written to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking his intervention to halt the construction till the disposal of the case in Orissa High Court.
The Odisha government is planning to build amenities for devotees such as urinals and cloak room within the prohibited zone of 100 metre of the 12th century monument under the Jagannath temple heritage corridor project.
INTACH state convenor AB Tripathy, in a letter to the Odisha CM, said that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has not given permission to the proposed construction of various facilities within the prohibited area of 100 metres around Jagannath temple and told the high court that the excavation work has damaged the archaeological remains around the temple.
In his letter, Tripathy said, “The blame game over the ₹800 crore project has taken a political hue. Several allegations and counters are flying thick surcharging the atmosphere while the devotees of Lord Jagannath are totally confused, feeling hurt to no end. Since the high court is hearing the case and if work is stopped in the interim period, it will make no difference to the execution of the project.”
Further , Tripathy said the chief minister’s intervention in halting the construction work till the disposal of the case would give a healing touch to the “troubled minds of the people of Odisha”.
