Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday wrote to Union Culture Minister 
Mahesh Sharma requesting him to send a high-level team of experts of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to assess the damage caused to the Jagannath Temple, Puri and Sun Temple, Konark by cyclone Fani that barreled through the eastern coast in Odisha’s Puri district on May 3.
“It is reported that significant damage has been caused to the infrastructure of Shree Jagannath Temple at Puri. Even the Sun Temple at Konark is reportedly closed for tourists,” said Patnaik.
“As ASI is the concerned agency for maintenance and upkeep of these famous temple sites, I would request you to consider deputing a high level team of experts to assess the damages caused to the theses structures so that appropriate remedial measures can be undertaken by the ASI at the earliest, especially keeping in view the Rath Yatra scheduled on July 4 this year,” added Patnaik.
Cyclone Fani, an extremely severe cyclonic storm, made landfall around 8 am in Puri on May 3 morning causing widespread destruction 11 districts including Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and 41 reported deaths. It also caused significant damage to the infrastructure of the 12th century shrine in Puri.
