Lucknow: The Geological Survey of India’s GPRS survey of the gold-hunt site in an Uttar Pradesh village indicates a strong possibility of gold and silver beneath the ruins of a 19th century fort in an Uttar Pradesh village. In fact, the 10-page GSI report, in possession of HT, is the basis of the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) historic dig for gold at Daundia Kheda village in Unnao, about 100 km from Lucknow and not the seer’s dream, claims an official.

The GSI team had conducted the survey on October 3 and 4 after its director general A Sundaramoorthy received an email from Union minister of state for agriculture and food processing Charan Das Mahant on September 29 to this effect. The GSI team used the Ground Penetrating Radar Survey (GPRS) technique to ascertain what really lay beneath the ruins. After the survey the GSI recommended excavation with corroborating maps and pictures, “The prominent zone indicative of possible gold silver and some alloys etc may be tested for excavation for further interest at the specified site.”

The initial survey was conducted by a 12- member GSI team, led by SK Mishra, superintending geophysicist along with other superintending geologists Narendra Singh, Anil Kumar Singh, MK Rai, Sanjay Kumar Singh. Archeological Survey of India officials say they agreed to begin the gold excavation on October 18 in the light of the GSI’s documented finding and not on a seer’s dream. However, the letter of the minister to the GSI does make mention of a saint Bhaskar Anand Dev of Shoban Ashram in Kanpur Dehat. But the mention doesn’t attribute to his dream and a claim of 1000-tonne gold.