How could those who have even tried to think of building a structure, probably for a big housing complex with a river view, next to St Cajetan Church in Old Goa even think of playing with our heritage? They have played with our heritage. They have tried to play with our identity. Did they think they will get away with it so easily?
Heritage protects our past. It also protects our future. It also defines our very identity. It is beyond imagination that some private party did not bother that they are entering a UNESCO protected area and by a series of manipulations due to their big-time political contacts both in the State and Centre, get this project ‘legalised’. Nor did they have any respect and regard for the Archaeological Survey of India the custodian of the Old Goa Heritage precinct.
It is sad when students, activists, heritage conservationists and even priests have to say they have to take matters in their own hands
When academics, students, heritage conservationists, activist priests, all come together to say they will take matters in their own hands if this structure which they say is built through blatant manipulation, it is a sad day. This shows the pain and desperation of good people who only want to protect the heritage of Goa. And this passion is found across India and the World across all faiths.
How did the different authorities like the TCP even clear this? People have lost faith
With what face will those in government when this project was fast-tracked, go to the people to ask for votes when they have played with their heritage, culture, identity and their pride? All this has been passed down to us by our forefathers and we are custodians of our heritage before we pass it down to our children.
Are we so weak that a real estate shark with political connections can bulldoze our heritage and we will stand quietly watching?
On April 1, 2021 the office of the Director Monuments sent a letter to the Superintending Archaeologist of the ASI Goa to “take appropriate action by issuing a show-cause notice immediately as per provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act against Suvarna Suraj Lotlikar for carrying out illegal constructions within the premises of a Centrally Protected Monument (See Annex 1)
Permissions were sought on the basis of face photographs: ASI
Then the inspection report of the ASI dated March 18, 2020 clearly stated that the permissions that were sought to start work on the land next to the St Cajetan church were for house repairs. But the picture of the house that was shown in the application papers was from a house in Parcem in Pernem taluka. The inspection report stated “It is found that the photograph submitted by the applicant is false and the claim of the existence of the house in survey number 4/1 of Village Ella before the year 1992 is fake” (Annex 2)
When the protests grew big, the builders put up a sign showing all the permissions received from various departments which make their construction totally legal. The people of Goa want to know what happened after the ASI found the construction illegal and the government departments cleared all hurdles one by one.
People demand that every document on every file of every department pertaining to this project be made public and displayed on the premises in full public view for inspection.
The people have the right to know how their heritage and their future were signed away and who in each department made the file notings which allowed our heritage to be tampered with. Let people know how in spite of the ASI terming the construction illegal, what route was taken to clear all objections? Let this be a lesson for all.
Do the builders of this structure even know how they have provoked not just Goans but people across the world?
Look at spontaneous participation. Young students from Ritesh Patil of St Xavier’s College, Mapusa to Sabira Shaikh of the St Joseph Vaz College in Sancoale, to their teachers and mentors, professors from so many colleges and members of the clergy, have seldom been so agitated. It is the same spirit witnessed during the agitation against the faulty Regional Plan 2011.
Those in charge of the project should pull out immediately. Let them not display licences and NOC s they have got as even a senior priest like Father Noel da Costa, one of those spearheading this agitation said strongly, “These clearances have been got through fraudulent means. It is a big, big fraud.”
Those building this structure and, in all likelihood, hoping to sell residences worth crores to outsiders should not make a fool of themselves. Hoping that they can do this is like wanting to buy the Eiffel tower
Those who have manipulated the system probably think that they are working in a political environment where even that is possible. They can even dream of building a luxury structure inside the Red Fort, or Qutub Minar or in the Khajuraho temples or the Jagannath Temple in Puri all of which are protected by almost the same institutions which protect the Old Goa heritage structures. But can they ever do it?
To those undertaking the project, listen to the people of Goa. They are saying ‘If you respect your country and love its heritage, will you ever do this? Did you find no other place in Goa to do this? You are simply destroying the peace of peace-loving people of Goa.’
Think calmly and withdraw in the best interests of the heritage and identity of Goa and the will of its people.
