PANJIM: The residents of Campal have opposed the alleged move of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) to hand over the ‘Francisco Luis Gomes Garden’ also known as Campal Garden to a private company for its management and maintenance.
The particular garden reportedly falls under the heritage conservation area.
“It is our garden and it is very close to my house. The area is full of heritage homes and the CCP wants a private player to put up a restaurant and bar by giving an excuse that they (CCP) don’t have required funds and the manpower to maintain it,” Armando Gonsalves, a well-known resident of Campal said.
He said that the residents are not against the commercial activities or any development work in and around Campal.
“Garden is meant for children and recreational activities, there is no need for privatising it. Let the government work with the residents of Campal and find a solution. Government should understand that we citizens exist and they ought to consult us before taking any such decision,” Gonsalves added.
Former councillor Patricia Pinto informed that the residents of Campal heritage precinct have written to the CCP raising objection to the City Corporation’s plans to allegedly “privatise” the Francisco Luis Gomes Garden.
“We have learnt that CCP wants to give out the garden under CSR and one corner of the garden which houses a tool room could be converted into a small restaurant. We are very worried that one by one our green spaces of the city are going to go. Gardens are the recreational green space for the people,” Pinto said.
She said that the residents have expressed their readiness to maintain the garden with a little help from the City Corporation making it a public community based partnership project.
“We will even go to the extent of getting help from the green clubs and other like-minded clubs of Goa to participate in this endeavour,” the residents stated in the letter to the CCP. The CCP Councillor of the area Lorraine Dias refused to comment.
When contacted CCP Mayor Rohit Monserrate said that there is no immediate plan to hand over the particular garden to any private firm for maintenance or the management.
“In the future we don’t know. But as of now we are not giving it to anybody. Maintenance and privatisation are two separate things. Even if we give the garden to somebody it will be only for maintenance and it will continue to be a public place,” the Mayor said.
