Foundation-stone of the much-awaited Konark beautification project is scheduled to be laid July 28, said Indian Oil Foundation coordinating officer Santosh Ranjan Das on Wednesday.
The project would cost Rs 3 crore. Union Culture Minister Chnadresh kumari Katoch, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Veerappa Moily and Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Srikant Jena, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Minister of Culture and Tourism Maheswar Mohanty, ASI Director General Pravin Srivastava and Indian Oil Corporation limited Chairman RS Butala would attend the ceremony.
On the other hand, the Konark Suraksha Samiti (KSS) has threatened to stage an indefinite mass agitation in front of the Sun Temple here from Friday July 26 under the leadership of KSS State convenor Surendra Nath Mishra demanding a CBI inquiry into iron materials being used for protection of the Sun temple. The KSS would also submit a memorandum to the Union Culture Minister Katoch and Chief Minister Patnaik during their visit to Konark on July 28, said Mishra. The Konark Suraksha Samiti (KSS) alleged that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has installed a low quality iron rod worth Rs 2 crore around the Jagamohan of the Sun Temple.