Cuttack, Jan. 23: The Justice Bimal Prasad Das Commission has issued a notice to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to clear the air on whether the Bimala Temple within the Puri Shree Jagannath Temple complex was in peril.

The commission was set up to bring in reforms in the functioning of the Puri Shree Jagannath Temple. "The notice has been issued to the superintending archaeologist of ASI's Bhubaneswar circle, H.A. Naik, to show cause why criminal proceedings should not be initiated against him for furnishing false information on Bimala Temple," commission secretary B.P. Parija told The Telegraph today.

Built of sandstone and laterite, Bimala Temple faced the east and is located to the right of the Jagannath temple.

Goddess Bimala is considered the caretaker of the Jagannath temple. The sacred food offered to Lord Jagannath is said to be consecrated only after it is presented to Goddess Bimala.

The Bimala temple is 60-ft high and consists of four main components - Vimanam (temple tower), Jagamohan (prayer hall), Nata Mandapa (festival hall) and Bhoga Mandapa (offerings hall).

Earlier, the commission had sought from ASI a report on the condition of Bimala Temple.

Parija said: "The ASI's Bhubaneswar circle had submitted a report which said that there was no major threat to the temple and investigation is on. However, a report published in a vernacular daily on January 13 indicated that there was a major threat to the temple structure due to lack of conservation measures and chemical treatment. Taking note of the newspaper report, the commission issued the showcause notice on January 19, expecting a reply within a fortnight."

The state government had appointed the one-man commission of inquiry on July 23 following a hue and cry over an attack on the Puri district collector and delay in conducting the rituals of Lord Jagannath on niladri bije day on July 17 last year.

The commission was expected to submit its report within six months, which lapsed on January 22. "The state government yesterday extended the term of the commission by six months," the commission secretary said.

Though the commission was appointed on July 23, it started functioning from September 29. It lost nearly two and half months before it could invite affidavits from people - both the general public and those associated with the temple - through a notification on October 5.

The commission had received 12,851 suggestions, which included 11,116 affidavits, 1,602 statements and the remaining through email.

On the progress made so far, Parija said the commission had appointed four assessors (two lawyers, one high-ranking retired police officer and a retired senior officer in the Puri Jagannath Temple administration) to scrutinise the affidavits, assist and advise the commission.

"We have already started digitising the affidavits and other responses that we received by the last date - December 20," Parija said.