Cuttack: A PIL filed in Orissa High Court has sought intervention against the danger posed to Sun Temple at Konark due to waterlogging in its precincts allegedly because of lack of proper preservation and safety measures.

The PIL was filed after severe waterlogging at the Konark temple forced tourists to move in knee-deep water following a spell of heavy rainfall on June 27. Local social activist Achyutananda Swain filed the petition on Monday seeking the court's direction for immediate improvement in the drainage system. The PIL has not been taken up by the court so far.

The petition assumes significance as there is waterlogging at the Konark temple whenever there is rain. The Sun Temple had also hit the headlines in October last year when tourists had trudge through knee-deep water following a spell of heavy rainfall due to a poor drainage system.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has not taken any permanent measures to prevent waterlogging at the protected monument, the petition alleged. Instead, the measures have only been restricted to pumping rainwater out of the temple by using motor pumps.