Cuttack, Sept. 19: Orissa High Court today refused to interfere in any policy decision related to the restoration work of Jagmohan of Jagannath Temple in Puri. The court, however, made it clear that it would monitor the repair work.

The court was hearing a PIL alleging that the Jagmohan was in danger "due to inaction" of the state government and Centre. The petitioner counsel Ashok Mohapatra had filed a fresh petition seeking the court's direction to the temple administration to allow him to go inside the Jagmohan to get a first-hand understanding of the condition of the prayer hall.

Advocate general Surya Prasad Mishra, temple administration counsel Subrat Satpathy and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), represented by assistant solicitor general Anup Bose, vehemently opposed the petitioner's plea on the ground that the inside of Jagmohan is now a prohibited area in the temple. Granting permission would create a bad precedent. Besides, prevalent policy declares parts of protected monuments under restoration work as prohibited areas, it was asserted.

Taking note of it, the division bench of Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice B.R. Sarangi observed: "The court will not interfere with a policy decision, but will monitor the progress of repair work undertaken by ASI."

The issue of Jagmohan's protection reached the high court after Cuttack resident Abhisek Das filed a PIL seeking the court's intervention for effective repair.

The court posted the matter to October 4 for verification of advancement of restoration of the Jagmohan of the 12th century temple along with a progress report on the repair work.

Accordingly, the court directed both the ASI and the temple administration to file affidavits on the progress made by then.

Though Jagmohan's dilapidated condition had come to notice in 2008 and an expert committee proposed removal of lime plaster for undertaking conservation, the de-plastering was not undertaken inside it till January this year.

After the plaster (which had decayed inside the sloped walls of the prayer hall) was taken off, it was found that the condition of the eight beams and four columns were a posing threat to the structure.

The roof of the Jagmohan rests mainly on the four central stone columns supported with eight stone beams. The sloped walls of four sides are called corbels with two layers (lower and upper).

There are cracks on beams, and so they have failed to transmit load to columns anywhere, which is a clear sign of major distress and instability of the Jagmohan.