Bhubaneswar: The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) will begin its inspection work inside the Ratna Bhandar in a day or two, said Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Monday.
Talking to mediapersons, the Law Minister further stated “Following the inspection by the ASI, the decision on whether to conduct laser scanning will be made later. All articles and valuables from Ratna Bhandar have been moved to a temporary strong room. Once the inspection commences, any structural issues within Ratna Bhandar will be identified. The Odisha government will then approve the time required by the ASI to complete the necessary repair works.”
It is pertinent to mention that the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar was opened on July 14, after nearly 46 years in the presence of Orissa HC Judge Biswanath Rath, Shree Jagannath Temple Administrator (SJTA) Chief Administrator Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, ASI Superintendent DB Gadanayak, Ratna Bhandar monitoring committee member Dr CBK Mohanty, Ratna Bhandar sub-committee member Durga Dasmohapatra, monitoring panel member Jagannath Dasmohapatra, and a representative of Puri’s titular king, Gajapati Maharaja.
