PANJIM: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said that it was not aware of the Central government’s heritage adoption scheme in which six of Goa’s tourist locations, including protected monuments and forts, are up for adoption by corporates.
The BJP also said that it has asked the Centre for details of the scheme and a detailed report is expected in a week.
“As a Rajya Sabha MP and State BJP President I have asked for detailed information from the Centre. The party feels that stakeholders should be taken into confidence on such issues. BJP is not aware of this issue,” State unit president Vinay Tendulkar said.
He added, “I am there in the Central Parliamentary House Committee on Tourism and Culture and till date this issue has not come up at any meeting. We have been demanding proper facilities at these sites such as toilets, changing rooms, benches but this sort of privatisation was never conveyed to us.”
He added that BJP was waiting for evidence of the government being aware of the issue, as promised by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar.
Earlier Archives and Archaeology Minister Vijai Sardesai and Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar had also said the government was not taken into confidence.
However, Drishti Lifesaving Pvt Ltd, which has been shortlisted as a ‘Monument Mitra’, claims they have not been given charge yet. The firm, however, conceded it had submitted an expression of interest.
