ASI to document Old Goa site after cannonballs found during excavation
PANAJI: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Monday said it would document a site close to the Old Goa heritage complex, where excavation work being undertaken for the construction of a tourist information centre unearthed the remains of an age-old structure believed to be the remains of a church as well as dozens of cannon balls.
ASI assistant superintending archaeologist, Kishore Raghubans, said orders have been issued to stop the work which would resume only once the documentation is complete.
“When we found some cannonballs during the clearance work, we asked the department to stop the work and now what we are proposing to do is to document that site. We will document the site and give a report,” Raghubans said.
“Documentation will be in the form of photographs and drawings and the report. Then we’ll demarcate the area. This process will take some time,” he added.
Hundreds of people gathered at Old Goa on Sunday as part of a protest after a few alert citizens noticed that excavation for the purpose of constructing a Tourist Information Centre, parking lot and toilet block was carelessly tossing away debris from age old structures and the remains of the old Portuguese arsenal depot.
The tourism department on Monday admitted that work on the project began without all the necessary permissions but said that only work on levelling the ground had begun.
“The project focuses solely on enhancing visitor facilities, including the development of a parking area, an information centre, and improved lighting for the monument. All necessary permissions including the office of the deputy conservator of forests, North Goa Division; Town and Country Planning Department (TCP) and National Monument Authority (NMA) have been duly obtained, and work had commenced in accordance with the required guidelines. At present, only the site clearance process has commenced. An application for the NOC from the panchayat has been submitted, and all necessary permissions will be obtained before any construction begins,” director Kedar Naik, said.
According to the department, developments include the construction of a parking lot, a dedicated tourist facilitation centre, and improved external lighting with streetlights in the parking area. The initiative also features monument façade illumination, E-Auto services to facilitate tourist movement, along with comfortable seating arrangements and improved signage for better navigation.
The work was being undertaken under the Union Tourism Ministry’s Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual augmentation drive that is known as PRASAD scheme.
Complaints filed with ASI, the local police, and panchayat alleged that the site contracted had defiled a site of valuable architectural heritage within the UNESCO designated World Heritage Site.
