Special Correspondent Panaji
The state legislative assembly was adjourned for 10 minutes during Question Hour on Monday after Opposition legislators stormed the well of the House, demanding demolition of an allegedly illegal structure within 100 metres of the protected UNESCO World Heritage Site at Old Goa.
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao led the protest, supported by other Opposition MLAs, who raised slogans against the government.
Alemao alleged that 54 illegal structures exist in the heritage zone, encroaching the protected site. He accused the government of inaction and questioned its commitment to heritage conservation.
The issue was raised when Santa Cruz BJP MLA Rudolf Fernandes sought details of the Master Plan for the Old Goa heritage site and demanded that the area and its buffer zones be marked in the Regional Plan.
Fernandes said the site’s preservation must be prioritised and urged the government to uphold its sanctity.
In response, Minister for Archives and Archaeology Subhash Phal Dessai said the government is committed to protecting all monuments and that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is monitoring the site. He said, however, that the illegal bungalow matter is sub judice and does not fall under his department’s purview.
Meanwhile, Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane said, “This act is only to make it to the page one of the newspapers,” accusing the Opposition of politicising the issue.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant reiterated that the government cannot act while the matter is under court consideration.
