TEAM HERALD
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PONDA: The issue over hosting of the Ponda Shigmotsav parade was finally resolved following a government submission in the High Court to include members of Ponda Taluka Antruz Shigmotsav Samitti (PTASS) in the State-appointed panel to organise the annual event in the city on Wednesday.
It may be recalled that PTASS had filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the tourism department’s order appointing a committee to organise Shigmotsav parade in Ponda city. PTASS had claimed that it was the registered organisation which has been organising Shigmo in the city for the last 32 years and questioned the government’s decision to appoint a committee and that too only in Ponda.
“We respect the decision of the High Court. Our eight members including me have been included in the committee appointed by the tourism department to organise Shigmo,” stated Adv Satish Pilgaonkar while addressing media late Tuesday evening. Former chief minister Ravi Naik and other PTASS members were also present for the press meet.
The eight members of PTASS who been included in the government-appointed committee are Satish Pilgaonkar, Ashok Naik, R G Dessai, Damu Naik, Govind Gaude, Sanjay Naik, Bhika Kerkar and Hanumant Naik.
“The petition was disposed after the government agreed to include eight members of the PTASS into the committee. The eight names were chosen by our committee. We have also been allowed to display banner of the PTASS in the city,” informed Pilgaonkar.
PTASS headed by Ravi Naik and Antruz Mahal Shigmotsav Samiti (AMSS) headed by Sudin Dhavlikar had staked claim to organize Shigmo in the city. However Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) had denied permission to PTASS to host the event citing that the dates asked for were reserved for the government-funded Shigmo.
Caught in midst of the Shigmo controversy, PMC referred the matter to the government and the decision went in favour of the AMSS as the tourism department appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Dhavlikar.
