no threat

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 9: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has assured the state government that there is no threat to the structure of the 13th century Sun temple in Konark.

“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also assured the Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik that all action is being taken on behalf of the ASI to provide protection to the temple,” said culture minister Debi Prasad Mishra in the Orissa Assembly today.

Mishra said the ASI had spent Rs 2,51,48,930 for preservation of the temple in the last five years from 2004-05. The ASI had collected more than three times of its expenditure amounting to Rs 7,80,70,890 as entry fee. The temple authorities charges Rs 10 as entry fee from domestic tourists and Rs 250 from foreign tourists.

“The ASI has also decided to constitute a steering committee and a working committee to look into the matters pertaining to Konark temple. All measures will be taken on the basis of the committees’ report,” said Mishra.

Last September, the state government last September wrote a letter to the Centre to initiate steps to remove water logging problem in side the premises of temple.

Earlier chief minister Patnaik had shot off a letter to the Prime Minister Dr Singh urging him to direct ASI to take steps for protecting the 13th century Sun temple at Konark.

However, Konark Surakshya Samiti, working for the protection of the monument, contradicted the statement of the minister. The samiti has alleged that the famous Sun temple is in a state of ruins. “Nearly four big stones had fallen from the temple over the past four years. Apart from becoming the victim of the natural process of decline due to lack of proper care and maintenance, rocks are falling frequently as the ASI has engaged unskilled labours. Huge cracks have developed in all parts of the black pagoda,” said its convener Surendra Mishra.

Another prominent activist of Konark, Rabi Bahinipati, said as the ASI was using chemicals for preservation of without proper guidance, all art and sculpture depicted on the stones have faded away and disfigured. “One cannot even recognise the art inscribed on it. More than 40 per cent of it have already been faded away and beyond recognition. The iron structures erected on the north and south side it to support the temple have already rusted,” he said.