A five-member delegation of Shree Mandir Suraksha Abhiyan met Union Culture Minister Shri G.Krishna Reddy and submitted a memorandum on irregularities taking place in the Shree Jagannath Heritage Corridor project being undertaken at Puri. Addressing the press conference, campaign spokesperson, Anil Dhir said that gross violation of laws laid down in the implementation of the proposed project is an imminent threat to the structural stability of the temple and its walls.
The government has come up with a plan to develop Puri as a world-class heritage city under the Expansion of Infrastructure and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme at an estimated investment of Rs 3200 crore. For this, a massive demolition drive was launched in August 2019 to remove encroachments from the 75-metre radius of the temple. After demolishing centuries-old monasteries and structures, the campaign was put on hold due to the COVID crisis, but resumed on August 2020.
The President of the Shri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee and Raja Dibyasingh Deb of Puri had laid the foundation of the project on November 24 last year at the end of the three-day yagya in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. After the foundation stone, the construction work started at a brisk pace with the pillars near the temple. The controversy came to the fore when experts objected to the use of heavy machinery for excavation, as it could adversely affect the 12th century temple. Questions were raised whether the National NMA or the Archaeological Department of India (ASI) had given clearance for such construction activity.
On 21 February 2022, Director General of ASI Ms V Vidyavati had visited the temple and inspected the ongoing projects around it. In his visit note, he had said, “The proposed facilities fall within the prohibited area of the temple. The government was also requested to simplify the entire design in keeping with the spiritual nature of the entire temple complex. It is a matter of great concern that large scale demolition and construction works are taking place in 100 and 200 meters area of the temple.
Permission of NMA and ASI has not been taken. The work which is a threat to the temple should be stopped.” While the project has been taken up by the Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation (OBCC) under the state’s construction department, which is working under the supervision of Tata Projects. When the Peripheral Development Project was taken up, an advisory committee was constituted in which the ASI was not represented. Other mandatory requirements such as Heritage Impact Assessment and Ground Penetrating Radar Survey were not taken up.
Giant earth-moving machines and excavators were being used for excavation activities near the temple. All this is posing a serious threat to the structural stability of the temple and its walls. Shri Vinay Kumar Bhuyan, the convener of Shri Mandir Security Campaign, said that if this is not stopped immediately, there will be a state-wide movement of Jagannath devotees. Advocate Ajit Patnaik said that even legally, it will be fought at every level.
The campaign demands immediate halt to all activities and formation of an expert team to assess the risk outlook of such activities on the ancient temple. This is necessary to avert a horrific imminent accident affecting the sentiments of lakhs of devotees. The Regional Director of ASI in Bhubaneswar, in an RTI reply, had said that no permission was given for the work that is going on. Convener of Shri Mandir Security Campaign Shri Vinay Kumar Bhuyan, Vice Chancellor of Central Agricultural University Bihar Prof Praful Mishra and Senior Advocate Shri Ajit Patnaik were also present in the press conference.
Source: VHP
