MARGAO: The Goa Heritage Action Group (GHAG) expressed shock and distress at the collapse of the roof slab of the stage of the Kala Academy (KA) open air auditorium, especially given the fact that the structure had collapsed while the building was being repaired by the government.
“We are thankful that the Chief Secretary has ordered an explanation for the incident by the end of the day, and we hope that the investigation will be made public. As a citizens group interested in preserving Goa’s heritage and culture, we demand a deeper, professional probe into this incident. This probe must be conducted by a team of qualified structural engineers and architects with experience in conserving 20th century buildings,” Heta Pandit, GHAG Vice Chairperson said.
GHAG said it hopes a thorough, transparent investigation is carried out, and that those responsible are held accountable.
GHAG added that they had actively participated in debates and discussions organized by the Charles Correa Foundation on KA in the past three years and had even written to the State government on May 21, 2022, asking them to follow scientific best practices, make the restoration plans public and involve all stakeholders, but sadly their appeal was ignored.
GHAG added that on Monday, they heard two contradictory statements justifying the collapse. The first being that “The structural work in the outdoor amphitheater was complete” and the second was “This slab was not touched by the renovation work”.
“Both these statements arise because no independent actor or agency has been allowed access to the building in the first place! If the first statement is true, then there needs to be another structural safety audit carried out for Kala Academy as it is possible that the work of the contractor is unscientific and shabby. If the second statement is true, then the gross negligence of the PWD and the contractor, to not scaffold and support a weak slab during monsoons must be investigated and strict action taken,” said Pandit.
“We note that the contract for the works was awarded on nomination to Techton Buildcons on the justification that this consultant was specifically skilled in the conservation and restoration of heritage structures. However, after seeing the imagery on Monday, we are now doubtful about the contractor’s competence, as well as the decision-making ability of the Government,” she added.
“The manner in which the contract was awarded without calling for tender went against all established rules laid down by the government. The opaque manner in which the project was executed with the lack of external oversight and public participation has set a bad precedent for the conservation of modernist architectural heritage in Goa,” Pandit said.
