Residents have undertaken a study of the heritage surrounding the areas, and the discoveries they have made have led to the formation of the “Kadamba Heritage Preservation Committee”, a committee, working parallel to the Pornem Goencho Nagrik Monch to help save the 21st century remains of a rich cultural past which dates back to the Kadamba era.
Speaking to “The Goan”, Shailendra Velingkar, who is keen on helping preserve these ruins, said that there are ruins of a fort scattered across the Kadamba Plateau. “These date back from the 10th to the 14th century, which was known as the “Golden Age of Goa,” says Velingkar.
Velingkar also said that under Laxmikant Parsekar in 2014-15, the government had taken cognisance of the committee’s fight to preserve the site, but unfortunately sure to the subsequent change in bureaucrats, there had been no movement for the past couple of years. “The Pillar Fathers also have a museum displaying all artefacts from the Kadamba era. We hope the government notifies these sites, as they are excellent and rare,” he says.
Meanwhile, Glen Cabral says that through the area of the plant, and beyond, are remnants of a 21 kilometre-long fortified wall which the Portuguese had built. “It was once the longest wall in Asia,” says Glen.
Historian Prajal Sakhardande has also confirmed that within a two kilometre radius of the proposed plant lie the remains of the underground palace of the Soundekar King. “In 1763, the Soundekar Raja was given asylum (by the Portuguese) in an underground palace on the Gauli-Maula plateau,” says Sakhardande in his latest book on Goa’s history. Yet another reason, perhaps, which goes against the setting up of the Bainguinim plant.
