Cuttack, Nov. 7: Orissa High Court today expressed displeasure at the progress of repairs undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at Jagmohan (prayer hall) of the Jagannath temple in Puri.

The court said the progress reports, the ASI was submitting to it, were "far from the ground reality".

Observing that "there has been no progress in the major repair work", the division bench of Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice B.R. Sarangi said: "We are very serious over the issue and expect a clear picture on the repair work for adjudication of the public interest litigation."

The court also expressed anger over the way in which affidavits on the status of repair were being filed by the ASI, and sought personal appearance of the ASI's superintending archaeologist (Bhubaneswar circle) on the next date of hearing.

"Affidavits after affidavits are being filed on the progress of repair work, but it seems they are being prepared without taking instructions properly from the ASI officials. As a result, they are far from the ground reality," the court observed.

The court has been monitoring repairs of the Jagmohan as part of adjudication of a PIL seeking its intervention for effective repairs of the temple's prayer hall.

On October 4, the court had directed the ASI to submit a report on the progress made by October 31.

Appearing for the ASI, assistant solicitor general Anup Bose submitted an affidavit on the progress of repairs by the superintending archaeologist (Bhubaneswar circle) when the PIL came up today. But, the court chided Bose after going through the contents and refused to take it on record. Bose prayed for a week's time from the court to file a better affidavit - which was granted.

"In such a situation, the ASI (Bhubaneswar circle) superintending archaeologist H.A. Naik is directed to appear in person on November 17 before the court, along with a better affidavit, and explain the progress in repairs at the Jagmohan," the court ordered.

It also ordered submission of a progress report in the form of an affidavit on repairs by the temple administration.

Latest reports said the temple administration had submitted to the superintending archaeologist (ASI) for pillar jacketing an estimate of Rs 16.87 lakh on November 1, for administrative approval and placement of funds. The administration had, on November 1, also submitted to the ASI an estimate of Rs 5.98 lakh for strengthening of four lower pillars by steel plates, for approval and placement of funds, reports said.