Sharmili Mallick

Following allegations of illegal construction of buildings within the prohibited areas around Shree Jagannath Temple and Atharanala Bridge in the pilgrim town of Puri, a team of Puri-Konark Development Authority (PKDA) and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Friday carried out a land survey and warned the concerned people to stop unauthorised constructions.

The PKDA and ASI team, led by building inspector PK Jaysingh also recommended the concerned authority to take action against the illegal developers and encroachers. Besides, the team also served show-cause notices on the defaulters. 

The secretary, PKDA, Puri had, earlier in a letter, stated that many buildings were being constructed within the prohibited area of ASI zone and even within the radius of 100 metres of the protected monument-- Shree Jagannath Temple and Atharanala Bridge-- which was a violation of the building norms as well as the Ancient Monument Preservation Act. He had said that the illegal constructions endangered the safety and security of the protected monuments.

Therefore, the PKDA Secretary had directed Jaysingh and three Amins-- Sarat Chandra Sahoo, Purna Chandra Biswal and Dambrudhar Bhola-- to visit the site along with ASI personnel and stop the unauthorised constructions. The PKDA had also asked the team to initiate action against the encroachers as per law.

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