Team Herald
OLD GOA: Two activists, Anthony Da Silva and Glenn Cabral who began their yatra from Assolna to create awareness against the construction of an illegal bungalow at the heritage site in Old Goa, culminated their journey at the controversial site on Monday morning.
The duo began the yatra on foot on November 24, which coincided with the first day of the novena before the feast of the Patron Saint of Goa St Francis Xavier and walked for 7 kms every day and ended their long walk at the site of the bungalow in Old Goa.
The duo began their yatra at Assolna Chowk and covered long distances since then, through the highways of Salcete taluka and into Cortalim.
The aim of this padyatra was to highlight the construction of the alleged illegal bungalow at the heritage site at Old Goa and demanded to demolish it.
On Monday, the yatra started from Assolna-Velim, Verna and wended its way through the villages of Cortalim, Agassaim to Neura and concluded at Old Goa.
On Monday, the duo began their walk at 9 am from the Neura panchayat ghar and ended at the site of the controversial bungalow in Old Goa.
“We are demanding justice and want the illegal bungalow razed to the ground at the earliest,” said Glenn Cabral while adding that despite highlighting the various illegalities involved, the bungalow continues to stand tall.
“Our protest will continue till the illegal structure is demolished,” said Glen Cabral.
Questioning the stoic silence of the authorities in initiating action in the matter when there is ample proof to show that the structure is illegal, Da Silva said, “The whole idea behind the yatra is to highlight that justice is to be done.”
“The issue is an open and shut case but it is tangled in technicality, which should not happen as it will set a wrong example,” he added.
It may also be recalled that the two activists along with other locals and concerned citizens as well as the Save Old Goa Action Committee had visited various government departments and pointed to the numerous flaws that were overlooked while granting permissions to the building, which was later revoked by the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department and the Pancahyat.
Da Silva from Ambelim, who participated in last year’s Satyagraha and also had a protest outside the venue of the closing ceremony of the last year’s International Film Festival of India (IFFI) against the bungalow.
