PANJIM: Even as Goa has got 51 notified structures under the State Archaeology Department and close to 450 additional monuments and structures (as per 2010 data) with immense heritage value, the State government is yet to put in place a ‘Heritage Conservation Policy’ to conserve and preserve these architectural monuments.
Way back in 2018, the Heritage Policy for protection and conservation of 51 notified structures and another to look after non-notified architecturally and historically relevant structures were mooted but didn’t see the light of day.
Down the line, the Archaeology Department has taken a lead to draft the policy in consultation with the experts like archaeologists and historians.
“We have decided to draft a heritage policy. However, we are yet to go into the details of the policy. For that purpose, we are likely to hold a panel discussion of experts to seek inputs and ideas for State policy,” Director of Archaeology Nilesh Fal Desai told O Heraldo.
Fal Desai said that the department is yet to take a call on whether the policy will focus on only the notified structures or will deal with all historically and archaeologically important structures.
Currently, Goa has 51 notified structures under the State Archaeology Department and 22 under Archaeological Survey of India.
In 2010, the Rajiv Yaduvanshi Committee had identified 434 additional monuments and structures with immense heritage value, including 107 Catholic churches and 17 temples, across the State. Interestingly, the Charles Correa Foundation, which is currently undertaking documentation of the heritage structures, has done grading of over 900 such structures within Panjim city alone.
