Puri, May19 (UNI) Union minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmedra Pradhan on Sunday visited Sri Jagannath temple and inspected the damage to 12th century shrine caused by extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani.

This was Mr.Pradhan’s second visit to the temple as he had earlier on May 4, the day after the cyclone hit the Puri coast, visited temple and witnessed the damage.

Soon after inspection of the temple, the Union Minister told media persons that a detailed discussion has been held with the Archaeological Survey of India( ASI) looking after the conservation of the temple.

He said the ASI has assured to complete the repairs before the Snan purnima ,the grand bathing ritual of Trinity ti be held on June 17. The annual Rath Yatra of lord Jagannath would be held on July 4.

Mr.Pradhan said the union government has extended all possible help to the state government to provide relief to cyclone ravaged families of Puri and other districts.

Earlier on Saturday Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took stock of the damage of temple and asked the ASI to complete the repairs before June 17 .

Gajpati king Dibya SinghDev , the chair person of the temple body, had also visited the damage portions of the temple and expressed concern.

Many senior residents connected with the temple blamed the ASI for causing damage to Sri Jagannath temple in cyclone Fani.

Citing the Sri Jagannatg temple administration report they said scaffolding raised along the temple structure had vibrated in cyclonic wind and damaged the temple.

They said despite IMD warning three days prior to cyclone that extremely severe cyclone Fani will hit Puri the ASI did not bother to unfold the scaffolding

As a result irreparable damage was caused to temple,the residents claimed and demanded stringent action against the ASI officials responsible for dereliction of duty.

The ASI zonal head Arun Kumar Mullick however,refuted the allegation and said enough care was taken to protect the temple from storm and scaffolding was reduced to half.

He said whatever damage was caused would be repaired before May 17 adding that the repairing work has already began

The cyclone Fani, however, has not caused any damage to the world famous Sun temple in Konark. Although there was no damage to temple but all the greenery around the temple was destroyed, Mr. Mullick said.

The ASI was entrusted to preserve, conserve and repair the Sri Jagannath temple main temple besides the smaller temples of Mahalaxmi and Vimala located inside the Sri Jagannath temple complex since 1974.
UNI XC-DP AND