TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Mayor of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has expressed keen interest in organizing Carnival in the city and submitted elaborate plans for the parade including a troupe from Brazil.
While the tourism department is expected to a take a call on this request on February 5 when the committee will finalize carnival plans, Mayor Surendra Furtado said, “I will decide for my city on the organization of Carnival,” adding that he has already put forward his proposal which has been accepted in principle by the tourism department.
The Mayor also said that during the last three months the CCP has been working on its Carnival plans for Panjim ruling out any controversy in the issue.
“We have also spoken to the Brazilian embassy and would have a troupe from Brazil for the parade,” Furtado said stating that the CCP plans carnival activities at Mira Mar.
The Carnival committee which meets in the first week of February to finalise plans for carnival said that Furtado’s proposal has been received and will be decided upon. Likewise plans and proposals for Carnival celebrations in other cities will be finalized by February 5.
The dates for Carnival have been finalized from March 1 to 4 and other issues pertaining to sponsorships, floats, prizes will be deliberated on February 5.
GTDC chairman Nilesh Cabral said that the tourism department is keen on improving the quality of floats this year and organizers have been asked to put forward their suggestions on this aspect. He also said that since the NIWS grounds would not be available for the annual Food and Cultural festival, it would be shifted to another venue.
