Tiatrists on the Old Goa stage to sing and fight for Goa

Team Herald

OLD GOA:  It’s been a relentless fight that will soon enter its sixth month. On Saturday it hit the 165-day mark since people from all over Goa launched a relay protest to bring down an already “illegally constructed” structure near St Cajetan’s Church, in total violation of the existing government regulations and UNESCO guidelines, within the heritage precinct of Old Goa, based on misleading information and supporting documents, according to the intense and detailed research done and information gathered by the Save Old Goa Action Committee

Historian Prajal Sakhardande of Goa Heritage Action Group had summed up the reason for the protest clearly when he had said that the illegal construction/bungalow is being built within a radius of a one-kilometer buffer zone of UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Goa and feared that Old Goa may lose World Heritage Site status if the illegal structure/bungalow is not demolished.

On Saturday several tiatrists gathered to demand the demolition of the illegal structure constructed at the Old Goa heritage site. Already the panchayat has given a demolition order but the Directorate of Panchayats has kept the order on hold. 

Veteran doyen of Goan tiatr, Prince Jacob and his troupe extended their support to the Save Old Goa Heritage Action Group and said that the ongoing satyagraha will continue till the illegal structure is demolished and justice is achieved. He said that the illegal construction had come up within the world-protected monument and it has 

to be demolished since there is no place for any sort of illegalities in the precincts of the heritage zone.

When tiatrists gather can music be far behind? They sang songs demanding action and demolition of this structure. Prince Jacob said, “We are not here to get media publicity but we have come unitedly as one to fight against the illegalities and to protect the future and our State, especially our Old Goa.”

The tiatrists also sang praising St Francis Xavier (SFX) even as the ongoing satyagraha entered 165 days on Saturday.

After the Se Old Goa Village Panchayat revoked the construction license and issued an order for demolition of the illegal structure order, Corbus Urban Infrastructure approached the Director of Panchayat, Panjim, and obtained an ex-parte stay order.

Following this, local villagers and two others filed their intervention applications seeking the demolition of the illegal bungalow within the buffer zone of the UNESCO World Heritage site at Old Goa.

At the last hearing on May 4, the Director of Panchayats adjourned the hearing to June 15, while asking all the parties to maintain status quo until the next hearing.