Bhubaneswar: May 16: Prof G C Mitra, chairman of the technical core committee of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), resigned on Saturday as nothing is happening regarding the repair and conservation of the Jagamohan (the prayer hall facing the sanctrum of Shree Jagannath Temple) in Puri.
Mitra did not say anything on the reason of his resignation, but said, ‘The jagamohan structure needs urgent repair and attention. There are cracks in stone joints, beams and pillars of the Prayer hall’. Also he cautioned, ‘Jagannth Temple might face the Konark-like situation in case of delay in repair work’.
Notably, Four columns of Konark temple had collapsed and in order to save its ceiling from collapsing it had to be filled with sand and stones.
With emotion Mitra further said, ‘as human beings we never feel safe to stay under a house having cracks in columns and beams holding the ceiling. So the Lord of the Universe Jagannath should not be accommodated in a Temple, which is at risk now.’ Prof Mitra’s resignation came after ASI DG rejection to the recommendations and estimates prepared by the technical core committee for the repair and conservation of the Jagamohana.
Odisha government and servitors of the Shree Jagannath Temple have expressed concern over the ASI disapproving the use of stainless steel bracket/frame in the conservation of the Jagamohana as recommended by the core committee. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his urgent intervention in the matter. Also, on Saturday servitors at a meeting chaired by chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration Suresh Mohapatra have decided that a delegation of servitors would meet Prime Minister Modi in this regard and demand for his immediate attention.
