Cuttack, Jan. 3: Orissa High Court today reprimanded the state government for submitting an "evasive affidavit" on the installation of stainless steel portal frame support to the stone beams with cracks inside the Puri Jagannath temple's prayer hall or Jagmohan.
Satya Ranjan Sethi, 56, chief engineer (buildings) of the state works department, had informed the court through an affidavit that following the request of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), "advanced action" had been taken to issue tender to select an agency. This agency would supply of 70 tonnes of stainless steel plates, fabricate and erect the portal box frame.
Earlier, after considering the affidavit and submission by the ASI about their request to the state works department for preparation of estimate and execution of stainless steel box type portal frame, the court had directed the state government "to file specific affidavit regarding time frame within which the work is to be completed".
In his affidavit, Sethi had informed the court about submitting to the ASI an estimate of Rs 3.71 lakh, but had not specified any time frame "for providing stainless steel portal box frame to the weak beams inside Jagmohan".
Expressing displeasure over the "evasive affidavit running to 10 pages", the court said: "Except for the time frame, everything is there".
"We are not here to listen to difficulties. If the approximate expenditure estimate is there, why not the time frame? When any work is undertaken, the time frame has to be given," the court said.
"The division bench of Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice B.R. Sarangi granted a day to government advocate Ramakanta Mohapatra to ensure the presence of chief engineer (buildings) Satya Ranjan Sethi in court on Thursday along with a fresh affidavit," central government counsel Chandrakanta Pradhan said.
The roof of the Jagmohan rests mainly on four central stone columns (pillars) supported with eight stone beams. Cracks have appeared on the beams and pillars. The work of providing stainless steel box-type portal frame support to the beams is vital because it covers 50 per cent of all conservation work.
In his affidavit, while indicating "advanced action" on the ASI's request, Sethi said January 21 had been fixed as date of receipt of tender for the work and January 31 for awarding the work contract.
"The agency, after award of work, shall be mobilised within seven days and the work of fabrication of stainless steel box sections from stainless steel plates shall commence preferably from second week of February," the chief engineer (buildings) said in his affidavit.
Cost estimate
A letter submitted in court today indicated that the ASI's superintending archaeologist (Bhubaneswar circle) had, on December 30, communicated to the ASI's director-general the estimate of Rs 3.71 lakh received from the state works department, for approval.
In a letter to the engineer in chief-cum-secretary of the works department, the archaeological body's director-general, New Delhi, has made it clear, saying: "Previously also, your department has helped the ASI in execution of various strengthening works in the temple. It is requested again to take up the work of installation of portal frame in the Jagmohan".
"The design of portal frame prepared by the core committee has been approved by the ASI and your initiative for preparation of required estimate is well recognised. The same will be cleared on a priority basis on receipt of the same at the ASI headquarters," director-general Rakesh Tiwari said in his letter on December 20.
The court has been monitoring renovation work undertaken by the ASI at the temple as part of adjudication of a PIL seeking intervention for effective and timely completion of repair of Jagamohan.
Cuttack resident Abhisek Das had filed the PIL. It was first taken up on June 8 last year.
