TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: It’s official. The commercial capital is all geared up to host the two Shigmo parades next week – one led by the Damu Naik led Madgao Shigmotsav Samiti on March 8, and the other by the Madgao Shigmotsav Samiti on March 6, under the patronage of Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai.
The Samiti backed by the Kamat-Sardesai combine will hold a grand Shigmo float parade in the city on March 6 without government grants.
Departing from the practice of holding the parade from the traditional Holy Spirit-Municipal square route, the Samiti has decided to hold the parade along the Colva junction-swimming pool road.
In this connection, both Kamat and Sardesai had a joint meeting with Chief Minister, Laxmikant Parsekar and Tourism Minister, Dilip Parulekar a day ago, wherein they impressed upon Parsekar and Parulekar that the Madgao Shigmotsav Samiti is the only authenticated organisation to celebrate Shigmotsav in Margao. The two MLAs also explained to the duo that the Samiti was formed in 1988 to celebrate the traditional Shigmotsav festival in Margao and has continued the tradition every year since.
Both Kamat and Sardesai told the media on Saturday after inaugurating the Samiti office at the Osia commercial complex that the chief minister and the tourism minister have expressed no objection to the Samiti in celebrating Shigmo festival in Margao.
Present for the office inauguration were former MLA Babu Azgaonkar, Councillors Damu Shirodkar, Avinash Shirodkar, Doris Texeira, Rosy Pereira, Tito Cardozo and members of the Samiti including Vasant Shirodkar, co-chairman Damodar Adpaikar and general secretary Eaknath Shirodkar.
In his address, the Margao MLA said that the samiti will hold the float parade along the Colva junction-swimming pool road as per a decision taken by the District Magistrate during his tenure as chief minister.
