By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, May 19, 2016 : In a bid to avert collapse of the famed 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri on coast, a public interest litigation (PIL) on Thursday has been filed in the Orissa High Court seeking its intervention for expeditious measures pertaining to suitable repair and conservation of Shree Jagannath temple and it’s Jagamohana – the chamber facing the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

The petitioner Abhishek Das, a social activist has contended that while the condition of the Jagamohana was in distress both the state and Central governments remained unconcerned.

The temple may completely collapse if measures are not taken on a war footing basis, the petitioner apprehended.

Union Culture secretary, director Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), superintendent state Archaeology department, chief administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), collector Puri, state chief secretary, secretary Law, commissioner Endowment and Puri king Gajapati Dibya Singha Deb have been made respondents in this PIL.

Besides seeking directions from the court for express steps for the repair of the temple and the Jagamohana, the petitioner has requested for the constitution of a committee to oversee repair and conservation of the temple.

Experts have been warning that the Jagannath Temple might face the fate of Sun Temple in Konark, if proper steps are not taken in the earliest.

A day after chief minister Naveen Patnaik visited Jagannath Temple in Puri and reviewed the repair work of Jagmohan, , Congress leader Narasingha MIshra will visit the 12th century shrine on Thursday to take stock of the repair work.

In fact, Padma Shree G C Mitra, former state works secretary resigned as the acting Chairman of the core committee of ASI – set up for supervision of d conservation work of the 12th century temple, in protest against the apathy of ASI on the matter. According to Sri Mitra the condition of Jagamohan, the sprawling prayer hall facing d sanctum sanctorum is highly unsafe and might collapse any time.