Cuttack: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has informed Orissa High Court that there is water leakage in some portions of the ceiling of the Mausima Temple in Puri.

On July 30, the high court directed the ASI to report on the conservation work of the temple.

During the chariot festival's bahuda yatra (return journey), the chariots of Lord Jagannath and Balabhadra stops at Mausima Temple and the deities are offered with their favourite podapitha (a kind of baked cake).

The ASI was expected to submit the report on the temple on August 20.

ASI (Bhubaneswar circle) superintending archaeologist Arun Malik on Monday in his affidavit said the temple was not centrally protected monuments of the ASI.

"However, according to the high court direction, an inspection was conducted and findings were recorded and made available to the Jagannath temple office for necessary action."

The inspection report on Mausima Termple said: "One finds water leakage spots in the ceiling of fourth and fifth chambers only which is of no serious concern. Overall the complex is in a stable condition."

The ASI was also expected to submit report on the conservation of periphery temples within the precincts of the Jagannath temple.

"The works have been taken up for repairing of all the temples, identified under Group A and are in progress," Malik said in his affidavit.

ASI officials and engineers had inspected the periphery temples and identified three groups of shrines which require immediate attention and prepared three groups - A, B and C "in order of priority for attending essential conservation work depending upon their structural conditions".

The Archaeological Survey of India had included 13 minor shrines in the list.

The ASI is expected to a submit in the high court the next progress report on the conservation work on September 10.