Cuttack: Neither the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) nor the National Monuments Authority (NMA) has given permission to the Odisha government for carrying out construction in the 100 metre prohibited area under the Puri Heritage Corridor project.
The ASI clarified this to the Orissa High Court in an affidavit today.
“In the affidavit submitted by the ASI before the High Court, the former has clearly stated that neither any authority of NMA nor the ASI has given permission for undertaking construction,” informed Anup Kumar Mohapatra, counsel for the petitioner.
On the secondary aspect of our petition, whether the construction will cause any damaging impact on the temple since there was some confusion over the report submitted by ASI, the court has asked it to file the report on that point again, Mohapatra added.
He said the next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for June 20.
“We had sought for a stay order. The court has sought some more documents and has kept the matter for June 20,” Mohapatra said.
It is pertinent to mention here that a resident of Puri had approached the High Court seeking its intervention in the construction of public amenities that would come up within 75-metre radius of the temple.
The petitioner has alleged that the State government had carried out construction works within the prohibited zone of the 12th Century Shree Jagannath Temple, a centrally protected monument, allegedly without seeking prior permission from the ASI.
The petitioner has contended that it was illegal as it violated the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, which prohibited new construction within 100 metre of a protected monument.
The project has also courted controversy with the opposition BJP and the Congress levelling allegations that norms are being violated which threatens the safety of the Shree Jagannath Temple.
However, the state government has claimed that works are being done as per the law.
