Minister for Environment Siva V. Meyyanathan on Friday inaugurated the excavation works taken up by the Tamil Nadu Open University at Porpanaikottai village in Tiruvarangulam panchayat union in the district in a bid to unearth possible archaeological remains.
The field-level work is to be carried out by E. Iniyan, an assistant professor of Archaeology, Tamil Nadu Open University, after obtaining approval from the Archaeological Survey of India.
The Tamil Nadu Open University (TNOU) has provided funds for the excavation that is to be undertaken by involving students.
Mr. Meyyanathan told reporters that necessary steps would be taken to provide all assistance for the excavation, besides augmenting basic facilities. Initial survey conducted by the Tholliyal Kazhagam had revealed that the area was a fort, for which some evidence had been found.
TNOU Vice-Chancellor K. Parthasarathy told The Hindu over phone that the University had provided ₹1 lakh as seed money to carry out the excavation, involving students of the related department.
The funding had been provided to encourage and promote young faculty members of the University and researchers in carrying out such activity to come out with scientific findings and inculcate research culture among them, he added. The Archaeological Survey of India had granted permission to TNOU faculty member Dr. Iniyan to carry out the excavation at Porpanaikottai, Mr. Parthasarathy further said.
Dr. Iniyan, who is the director of excavation, said one mound had been identified at Porpanaikottai for carrying out excavation. “We are planning to carry out the excavation initially for one month at Porpanaikottai and report the findings to the ASI through the TNOU,” Dr. Iniyan said.
Ahead of carrying out the excavation, a survey was done at Porpanaikottai using ground penetrating radar provided by the Department of Geography of Bharathidasan University, Dr. Iniyan said.
