Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday wrote to union culture minister Mahesh Sharma complaining about the poor quality of restoration work done by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on the 13th century Konark Sun Temple.
Quoting from an article in a Odia newspaper Patnaik in his letter lamented how the original stone carvings of the monument have been removed and replaced with plain stones . "It has been mentioned in the newspaper report that 40% of the artistic stone carvings of the existing temple have been replaced with plain stones by the ASI. The report is a matter of worry and concern for all of us," wrote Patnaik demanding a probe. ASI’s superintending archaeologist of Bhubaneswar circle, Arun Mallik said the newspaper article was fake. “Conservation of the monument is being done as per Monument Act and ASI’s norms. It’s a Unesco site. No norms have been violated,” said Mallik.