NT Reporter
Panaji
The state government has informed the High Court of Bombay at Goa that it agrees in principle to relocate the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj installed on Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) property at Sada.
Appearing before the court, the government said that the process of identifying a suitable site on government land for relocating the statue is underway. The government informed the court that two to three potential sites had been identified, but no final decision had been taken so far.
The court granted the Goa government time to finalise the relocation site and directed that the matter be taken up at the next hearing.
The case has been adjourned to August 25, when the government is expected to provide an update on the proposed relocation site.
The court had directed the removal of the statue installed on land belonging to the MPA. Hearing a writ petition filed by MPA, the court had said that despite complaints lodged by the port authority on February 16 and February 20, the Bogda police station and other authorities had failed to prevent the encroachment and erection of the statue at Headland Sada Junction in Vasco.
The High Court had said, “We believe that where issues of law and order are involved, it is only the state through its agencies such as the police force, executive magistrate and other such authorities, can adequately quell such incidents and ensure public safety and property of individuals is preserved.”
