BJD MP Pinaki Mishra’s statement on twitter handle that the GPRS Report of the Jagannath Mandir Parikrama has been conducted and will be submitted to the High Court in an affidavit had drawn sharp criticism from researchers.
“Documents will show GPRS was duly done and therefore allegations about digging without doing GPRS are baseless. HC affidavit will clarify all these aspects. All that’s needed is a little more patience and a little less malice.” He has also attached the front two pages of a purported report titled “Report on Underground Utility Detection by GPR Technology for the Shree Mandira Parikrama Project”, Mishra had tweeted recently.
The MP from Puri Lok Sabha seat is suffering from chronic foot in the mouth disease. He has not even ascertained that the Utility Detection GPRS is only for detection of underground gas, water and power lines.
This survey is done to locate these utilities to prevent damage where proposed excavation is undertaken. The Ground penetrating radar is essential for locating non-conductive utilities, un-locatable subsurface features, non-metallic pipes, and concrete storm and sewer systems, underground storage tanks etc.
Abandoned lines, electric cables, fibre optic cables, septic tanks etc. are also detected by this method, said researcher Anil Dhir taking a dig at the lawmaker.
The Utility Detection GPRS is in no way a survey of buried artefacts or archaeological materials. The report is only for specific materials as above.
The MP is once again indulging in lies and subterfuge by suggesting that composite GPRS has been conducted for archaeological materials. In the affidavit submitted to the High Court, the ASI has specifically mentioned that during the Joint Inspection, the executing agencies, both OPCC and Tata Project and stated that no GPRS had been done, alleged Dhir.