The government also seems to be in no hurry to step on the conservation bandwagon – a fact that can be seen as many heritage structures are just literally decaying.
Deputy Mayor Kabir Pinto Makhija whose ward – Campal – is one of the main heritage areas along with Fontainhas, concedes that the CCP does not have committee for this purpose.
“First of all, it is very difficult to maintain heritage houses. The conservation cost is extremely high. The State government is not coming up with any schemes or policy to protect and preserve these areas at Campal, Fontainhas and part of Altinho,” he told Herald.
This is also echoed by the Fontainhas corporator – Rudresh Chodankar.
Though a committee does not exist with the CCP, the Centre has been funding the CCP for heritage conservation. Sources say that through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) the CCP undertook heritage conservation of several important landmarks within the city limits.
The project area also covers immediate surroundings – a total area of approximately nine square kilometres. The main objective was to identify the heritage structure premises to protect, preserve and revitalize.
“As of now there is nothing. Only people who live in heritage homes know how hard it is to maintain these homes,” says Chodankar, adding that Fontainhas and Campal are the main areas where heritage structures still exist.
“Houses should be maintained,” he says. “There is some plan, but it has still to be notified. This is become a major problem as far as finances are concerned. The government is not doing anything.”
The Goa (Regulation of Land Development and Building Construction) Act, and The Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulation, 2010 regulate the development in the Fontainhas heritage area and covers under Zone (F) “Conservation Zone” in the regulations.
While the Outline Development Plan 2011 of Panjim has earmarked this area as Conservation Zone and has designated the residential zone as (F-S), Commercial zone as (F-C) and Institutional zone as (F-P).
