The Sun Temple in Konark. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 16: Problems continue to impede a drive to protect and preserve the Sun Temple at Konark, a world heritage monument.

An endoscopy survey to understand the internal geometry of the 13th century monument is yet to start because the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, awaits a nod from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to undertake this exercise.

ASI superintending archaeologist Bhuvan Vikram said: “Permission for an endoscopy will come from our director-general’s office in Delhi because it is a world heritage site.”

Vikram said over the past several decades, there had been no attempt to know the internal geometry of the temple, which remains filled with sand.

The officer explained that for endoscopy, there was a need to create holes in the temple wall and this could be risky. “As the world heritage monument is a sensitive structure and an endoscopy might lead to accidents causing serious damage to the temple, there are reservations in recommending it,” he said.

“We are hopeful that the ASI authorities will give us the permission by January 15. As soon as we get the permission, we will start the immediately,” CBRI director S.K. Bhattacharyya told The Telegraph.

On the time needed to end the probe, the expert said: “It is a sensitive issue as the Sun Temple is a world heritage site. We need to do it with extra care and caution. It is difficult to give a time frame,” he said.

On the outcome of the endoscopy probe, the CBRI chief said: “It is just like conducting an endoscopy on a human being. The probe will provide us details on the internal geometry or the arrangements of the stones. It will help us in understanding the structure.”

Former engineer-in-chief and a technical expert of ancient monuments Gopal Chandra Mitra said that instead of an endoscopy, which needs creation of holes for the probe to pass through the temple wall, ultrasonographic surveys should be carried out to understand the interior.

Intach state chapter chairman Amiya Bhusan Tripathy said: “At an international seminar on conservation of Konark in 2010, several proposals were adopted. But till date, no steps have been taken by the ASI to adopt the proposals to expedite the conservation work. The progress is almost zero.”

Speaking on the sidelines of a workshop on “Sun Temple at Konark – past present and future” at the Institution of Engineers (India), Odisha state centre today, a senior ASI official said the CBRI had already done a laser survey in 2012-13 to know the exterior geometry of the temple. A ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey was also done which revealed that the foundation stone was around six or seven metres deep in the ground.

Well-known sculptor Sudarshan Sahoo alleged that the high-level committee on Konark conservation had representatives from various fields, but there was not a single sculptor on it.

IEI (Odisha) centre president Ashok Kumar Basa said: “We have provided a common platform for discussion on the topic because we have heard several contrasting theories on the conservation of the Konark monument. After the discussion, we will submit our report to the culture department.

On recreating another Konark, retired bureaucrat-cum-author Anil Dey said: “We cannot call it a replica because we don’t have the original model is not there.”

A senior ASI official, on the condition of anonymity, however, said there was a plan to have a digital 3D model of the Sun Temple.