Architects across country flay Forest Min for slandering Dean D’Cruz

MARGAO: Nearly 300 architects from Goa and nation-wide signed a petition that was submitted to the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, where they raised concerns about the comments made by Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vishwajit Rane against architect Dean D’Cruz and further asked that the TCP portfolio be removed from Rane.

In the letter, the architect community said it was shocked at the TCP Minister using a constitutional stage provided by the Vidhan Sabha to personally slander and threaten a fellow architect and citizen.

They added that such comments can affect the real estate industry and the economy of Goa, of which architects are core stakeholders.

“On behalf of the community of architects, we request that you ask the honourable Speaker to expunge the comments of the minister from the record of the house. Keeping these statements will weaken the faith that our profession has on the Town Planning system and the Government of Goa, and could end up costing Goa a lot of development potential,” read the letter.

They added that if the TCP Minister has a problem with a certain architect, he could have taken it up individually, within the bounds of the law but that his statement, and the government’s inaction to rectify it, makes them worry about all of their plans and projects.

“TCP is an important portfolio, and after this incident, we are most concerned about safeguarding our clients’ projects. Today it may be Ar. D’Cruz, tomorrow it could be anyone. We request that you take immediate action as leader of the party, and if required give this important portfolio to a more coherent and responsible MLA,” they stated in the letter.

“Our fear is not only restricted to architects but to every citizen of the state that must deal with government agencies from time to time. For today if such behavior is acceptable from the TCP minister, tomorrow Goa will descend to a point of utter lawlessness where each minister acts as a monarch and dictator, with no regard for rules and regulations, as he presides over his department,” they added.