Amid the controversy surrounding the beautification work going on around the 12th century Puri Shree Jagannath temple under the Puri Shree Mandir Heritage Corridor project, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has urged Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik to temporarily suspend all the construction activities in the excavated area near shrine.

“This letter is an appeal to you from INTACH reflecting the hurt and wounded sentiments of the people of Odisha on the issue of corridor development of the temple,” INTACH’s state convener and former director general of police (DGP) A.B. Tripathy said in a letter to the chief minister.

INTACH also cited how the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has not given its nod to the proposed construction of various facilities within the prohibited area of 100 metres and there was a violation of the AMASR (Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains ) Act. The AMASR act prohibits any construction of work within 100 metres periphery of national protected monument or shrine. Opposition parties have alleged that because of the construction, the temple’s structure is under threat.

Tripathy maintained that “Since the High court is hearing the case and if the work is stopped in the interim period, it will make no difference to the execution of the project.”

The INTACH has also cited how a political blame game is on which has taken a political hue as happens in most such cases. “Several allegations and counters are flying thick surcharging the atmosphere while the devotees of Lord Jagannath are totally confused, feeling hurt to no end,” Tripathy said.

He said, “INTACH is above all political predilections and is in a unique position of feeling the pulse of the people through its twelve chapters spread through the length and breadth of the state. I don’t know what feedback the concerned agencies are giving the government. But our feedback is that people are hurt as their supreme deity Lord Jagannath’s abode is in controversy which has gone to the highest courts for a decision.”

Urging Naveen to halt the construction work and not to go by the advice of mandarins who would insist on going ahead with the work, Tripathy said, “Being an ardent Jagannath devotee and the highest -decision making authority in the state, your intervention in halting the construction work till the disposal of the case will give healing touch to the troubled minds of the people of Odisha,”

The high court has directed the state government to submit its reply to the ASI affidavit, which pointed out that the ongoing work on the heritage corridor has no valid permission, by June 20. The next hearing on the issue is scheduled to be held on June 22.

The state government in 2019 had started a project named “Puri Shree Mandir Heritage Corridor project” to transform the Holy town of Puri into an international place of Heritage. However social activists, as well as opposition parties, alleged that the work going under Puri Heritage Corridor Project was illegal as it violated the AMASR Act which prohibits new construction of work within 100 metres from a nationally protected monument.