Bhubaneswar, Feb. 22: Residents of Puri today expressed concern over the rising water level in the sea and the movement of subterranean plates under the town.

Referring to The Telegraph report in Wednesday’s edition that highrise buildings are facing threat because of possible tectonic movements, professor of the marine science department of Berhampur University P.K. Mohanty said: “The government must address the issue immediately.”

Giving details of the study conducted between August 2010 and September 2011, Mohanty said the team had noticed unnatural rise of waves during a certain period in 2011. “The rise of waves takes place for various reasons, including plate movements. However, this needs to be studied further before reaching a conclusion,” said Mohanty.

He said the team had conducted a study at seven points covering a distance of 3.5km starting from the Light House. They had found depositions of sands and the rise of waves.

Former professor of geology at Utkal University N.K. Mahalik said: “More investigation is required to ascertain whether tilt has taken place and on its nature.”

Vice-president of the Hotel Owners’ Association of Puri Debasis Kumar said: “We should not suddenly jump to the conclusion that highrise buildings are showing a tilt. The issue should be properly studied. All should be refrained from making such statements which create a panic.”

Dharma Prasad Mishra, an expert, who is part of the joint team constituted by the state government and the Arcaeological Survey of India for undertaking repairs in the Jagnnath Temple, said: “The under movement of plates in Puri could be a reason for the cracks developed in the temple. Besides, saline water also caused damage.”

Convenor of the Jagannath Sena Priyadarshan Patnaik said: “The Puri–Konark Development Authority should strictly follow rules while giving approval to new projects on seaside.”

Revenue divisional commissioner (central) and chief administrator of Jagannath temple Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said: “We will help the Geological Survey of India (GSI) team during their study in Puri.”

Geoscientist and former deputy director-general of the GSI P.N. Nayak, however, stuck to his stand, stating that the beach town was facing a threat with highrises along its seashore showing signs of a tilt, a possible fallout of tectonic movements.

However, the tilt is hardly noticed if viewed from Beach Road, extending from Banki Muhan in the east to Baliapanda on the west. One has to trudge through the golden sands and look at the buildings from the southwestern side or drive up to the Baliapanda side at least to the point where the road bends for the tilt to be visible.