Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today asked the Centre to immediately open a support office of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which has been entrusted with the task of maintenance of the 12th century Sri Jagannth Temple in Puri.
"I request you to kindly intervene and consider the proposal for immediate opening of a unit office of ASI at Puri with adequate technical and administrative staff, ensuring structural safety of the shrine (including subsidiary ones)," Patnaik said in a letter to Union Minister of Culture Chandresh Kumari Katoch.
Pointing out that ASI did not have a dedicated unit at Puri to look after the day to day upkeep of the monuments, he said the ASI Director General had assured him to station a senior archaeologist to co-ordinate the conservation work of the temple.
"While discussing with the Director General of ASI in February, 2012, I was assured that a senior officer in the rank of Deputy Superintending Archaeologist will be stationed at Puri to supervise and co-ordinate the conservation work of Sri Jagannath Temple," Patnaik said in the letter.
The Chief Minister said the temple managing committee too had written to the ASI to open an office in Puri consisting of a Deputy Superintending Archaeological Engineer along with other supporting staff.
