Collector directs to stop archaeological survey in Idukkki

Idukki Collector suspends archaeological survey by PAMA Institute and PAPPINI Research Centre amid local residents' concerns. Survey aimed at documenting Iron Age remains in 22 wards of Nedumkandam panchayat. Principal investigator of project clarifies survey is to document memories of elders and no need for panic. State Archaeology dept. not associated with survey, Idukki diocese of Syro-Malabar Church demands authorities dispel people's concerns.

District Collector Sheeba George on Wednesday directed to suspend an archaeological survey being conducted in Idukki district by a non-profit research organisation.

A controversy erupted over the survey, being carried out by the PAMA Institute for the Advancement of Transdisciplinary Archaeological Sciences and the Nedumkandam-based PAPPINI Research Centre, for collating data to document the locational and morphological details of Iron Age remains in the 22 wards of Nedumkandam grama panchayat in Idukki. The residents allege that the archaeological survey is aimed at evicting local people in Idukki.

In a statement, the Collector said that considering the sentiments of the local residents, it was directed to immediately stop the survey, which was to be conducted in all 52 local bodies in the district to understand the ancient history of the district. The agencies involved have been told to stop the survey till a confirmation is received from the State Archaeology department, according to the release.

According to officials, the survey team visited the 22 wards of Nedumkandam panchayat and collected data from the local people.

Meanwhile, P.J. Cherian, principal investigator of the project, said that the survey aimed at documenting the memories of elders in each ward. “The ‘citizen scientists’ (CS) recruited and trained for the pedestrian survey employed a digital application called Kobocollect on their mobile phones to document the memories of the elders and the physical contexts of material evidence such as urn burials, menhirs, dolmens, hood stones and so on,” said Dr. Cherian.

“There is no need for panic and the project aims only at finding historical evidence in the district,” said Dr. Cherian.

E. Dineshan, Director, Archaeology department, said that the department had not conducted any archaeological survey in Idukki. “PAMA is an independent agency and we hope they have collected permission from the government for the survey. The State Archaeological department is not associated with the survey,” said Mr. Dineshan.