VASCO: The BJP ruled Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) came under attack from former and opposition councillors for discontinuing with the annual Baina beach festival, popularly known as summer festival.
According to former chairperson Shekhar Khadapkar, “There is very little for Vascoites to enjoy in the port town and since most of the people living here are from working class, they don’t have any other leisure destination, except for Baina beach. Hence, with the aim to promote Baina beach and to offer wide range of activities including music, dance, visual arts, food etc the then council had started organising summer festival also known as Baina beach festival in the year 2008.”
“In fact, the then councillor and sitting Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida was the brain behind the festival. This eight to ten-day long festival used to be held in May when most of the schools are closed for summer holidays and this festival had become a very popular event. Sadly, after the new council took over in 2015, they stopped organising the festival, for reason best known to them,” he said.
The leader of opposition camp in MMC, Kritesh Gaonkar said, “Since last three years this council failed to take up any developmental works in the port town. It also failed in continuing the summer festival which was once a very popular annual event in the port town. I think we have an unfit chairperson and on moral grounds he should resign.”
