TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Can a garden that was given a facelift worth almost Rs 2.5 crore be sacrificed for the cost of a Rs 20-lakh carnival function that may destroy the plants and landscaping?
Environmentalists and a section of Panjimites are furious that a garden and its emerald lawns that are maintained by the Goa Forest Development Corporation are being held ransom to a four-day festival that is not expected to rake in more than Rs 20-lakh for the city corporation.
“They have taken the vehicles on the lawn by uprooting the hedges and have parked them on the lawns. Not only have they destroyed sections of the hedges, but they will also kill the lawns,” Dr Joe D’Souza, a former professor at the Goa University and environmentalist told Herald.
True enough a vehicle lounge as well as a lounge sponsored by the Ashok Beleza groups has occupied prime space right in the middle of the lawns, sealing off the sprinkler points underneath, making it impossible to water the lawns for the next four days. Besides the dead weight is sure to destroy the grass.
The lawns and the hedges will also have to bear the stress of the constant movement of people, since platforms are being placed on them.
As of the inauguration of the ‘Samba Square’ festivities, there was a car lounge, a bouncy for children to frolic as well as grill lounge.
Officials of the Goa Forest Development Corporation who maintain the lawn were not available for comments and the CCP officials while speaking to Herald, promised to restore the garden once the festivities were over.
However, Dr Joe did not buy the talk of restoration. “Tomorrow they will say they need the Basilica of Bom Jesus and the surrounding space. Can we allow them to bring it down with a promise to restore it?” Dr Joe asked.
