Recently I went to meet a noted tiatrist who is also a close friend of mine at Ravindra Bhavan Margao. As I entered the Green Room of the Pai Agostinho Hall I was shocked to see its dilapidated condition and the pathetic state of the basic facilities in it makes me wonder if this auditorium is also going to meet the same fate as the Kala Academy in Panjim. Can you believe that rain water drips on the stage of arguably the top auditorium in Margao?
That’s not all, water dripping from ACs in the green room is making matters even worse for actors and actresses who have to be ready as quickly as possible before every act on stage. One can imagine the plight of the tiatrists and other artistes performing in this auditorium where even toilet flush and dressing room lights are not in working condition. With water seepage on almost every wall and frequent power failures, the government continues to talk big while missing out on the very basics.
Will the CM Pramod Sawant-led BJP government pay heed to repeated requests from the tiatr fraternity and others or continue to focus on more ambitious and lucrative projects, only to contemplate on demolition of the relatively new structure? Will Ravindra Bhavan Margao meet the same fate as Kala Academy Panjim? Or will the government act before it’s too late?
