PONDA: The Department of Tourism every year organises competitions of floats, Romat, folk dances and fancy dress during the parade of Shigmotsav. However, the artistes are increasingly agitated over not receiving the prize amount due to them.
One of the groups from Ponda, which won prizes at two of the parades last year, is yet to receive the prize amount. There is a possibility that quality artists will likely turn their backs on this year’s parades and competitions. As per the sources, Tourism Department officials have assured to give the prize money to the respective group by next week.
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The Shigmo parades begin from Ponda and are then held at around 16 different locations in the State. The costs to make floats go in lakhs and the artistes also have to shell out about Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 every night of the parade.
While accepting the entries not all the documents are taken. In such cases, many groups do not bother to submit the papers if the prize money they are about to receive is less. The Department of Tourism too, refuses to pay the amount unless all the details are submitted. Hence, many have opined that the organisers should take all the details at once while accepting the entry itself.
Meanwhile, with the festival just round the corner, artistes from the parts of Ponda such as Kavalem, Adpai, Durbhat are seen busy making the attractive floats till midnight.
“The cost to make a float goes in lakhs. Not to mention the expenditure of about Rs 15,000 per night on the motor vehicle pulling the float. The prize money is not being given on time by the department which puts the artistes in jeopardy. They also have not increased the prize money either,” said Kisan Naik, president of Gajanan Kala Mandal, Kavalem.
