Team Herald
MAPUSA: The much awaited dream of the villagers of Parra turned into reality on Thursday, when their football ground was inaugurated by Calangute MLA Michael Lobo.
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Speaking to the media persons Lobo said, “Though the work was started by our late chief minister Dr Wilfred De Souza and former sarpanch Benedict D’Souza in 2006, it came to a halt due to financial constrains.
It was at this junction that being the son the soil, Lobo stepped in to undertake the development of Parra football ground 14 years back.
“With the assistance of likeminded people from the Comunidade, PVC Association, St Ann Church, Parra Panchayat our mission today came into reality,” he added.
“Some months back our Candolim Panchayat completed the Candolim football ground and today with the help of Parra Panchayat the Parra football ground has seen the light of the day,” he said.
“We have spent more than Rs 1 crore to build this ground under the guidance of LLP Company-Bangalore. There are people like me who are ready to join hands to shell out money and do something good for the general public. But they will give money to the right people to build the infra projects,” Lobo said.
He thanked number of hoteliers, businessman and well wishers who landed help financially.
“We did manage to get the football ground complete with our funds, but with the assistance of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (GISDC) who was supposed to sanction Rs. 9.8 crore for completion of seating area, retaining wall, club house and indoor stadium came to a halt due to COVID-19 crisis. But with the improvement in the State economy that too will be completed,” he mentioned.
“We have already built a gymnasium in Parra and another one in Arpora-Nagoa is in the pipeline. Good coaches will be recruited so that the youngsters from the age of five and above will get the best coaching,” Lobo concluded.
Parish Priest of Parra Fr Alex D’Souza blessed the ground and said football ground was the need of the hour for our village youngsters and thanked Michael Lobo for making it possible.
Milton Marques, sarpanch of Verla Canca and founder member of PVC Association and Franky Viegas, president of PVC Association also spoke.
Present on the occasion were founder members of PVC Association Alex Alfonso, Allan Vaz, Lincoln Alvares, Sanjana Korgaonkar, deputy sarpanch of Parra.
Gregory D’Souza, general secretary of PVC Association compered while Deliaha Lobo, sarpanch of Parra proposed the vote of thanks.
