GADAG: The tourism department and Lakkundi Development Authority (LDA) are working towards historic Lakkundi village being listed under a UNESCO heritage site soon.

In addition, 44 sites in the village will soon come under the protection of the state government, Tourism minister HK Patil said on Monday.

A rooftop support stone called Bodhi Kambaha and what appeared like a stone-age weapon were found on the 4th day of excavation at Lakkundi on Monday.

As many as 16 sites in the historic village have already been declared as state-protected monuments. In addition, 8 more temples will be declared as protected monuments by the state government by the end of February, Patil told reporters after a meeting of the High Level Advisory Committee of the Lakkundi Heritage Area Development Authority (LHADA).

“In addition, the LHADA Commissioner of the authority has been instructed to submit a comprehensive proposal to the government within a month for including 20 more temples and wells in Lakkundi in the list of state-protected monuments. With this, a total of 44 sites in Lakkundi will come under the direct supervision of the government and more funds will be made available for their development and protection,” Patil said.

“Rs 10 crores has already been released for the development of five temples and an ancient well in Lakkundi. The tender process has been completed and work orders will be issued in February. Excavations will begin by March to identify the temples that are buried under soil and revive them. Rs 1.65 crore has been released for the construction of an open-air museum to showcase the artistic splendour of Lakkundi,” the minister said.