The activists have accused the local Congress MLA Pandurang Madkaikar of allowing and shielding illegalities in an around the protected monuments at Old Goa.
“Our MLA himself is a major law breaker. He himself is involved in illegal developments in the protected areas and now he is backing all the illegal constructions, developments and excavation in the 100m protected areas,” SOGAC coordinator Peter Viegas alleged during a press conference Friday evening.
Viegas pointed that there are more than a hundred illegal constructions and development, kiosks and hawkers which are operating within 100 to 200m radius of the protected world heritage churches. “All these are given permissions by panchayats and are having backing from politicians,” he alleged.
“All these works were being done without the permission of ASI as required under Section A of the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010,” he added.
SOGAC demanded that government should on priority constitute the heritage master plan committee by involving all stakeholders before the Exposition, failing which the committee would launch a mass agitation. Viegas said that the heritage master plan committee should ensure that the master plan for the world heritage sites is ready within a year with a proper provision to re-allocate these hawkers and kiosk operators.
The activists have also appealed to government to recognize the remaining 17 sites and buildings of historical importance as protected sites and monuments. This includes the Cumbharjua canal, lone surviving cross of Mae De Deus church, Cross of St Luiza, pillory, Arch of Conception, Royal Chapel of St Anthony, ruins of College of St Bonaventure, etc.
