Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA- Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa informed that people will not allow anyone to touch the Cabo-De-Rama Fort under the care of the Department of Archives until the issues of the locals are resolved.
‘This is also my stand as an MLA and people representative’, Altone said.
It may be recalled that Goa Tourism Development Corporation(GTDC) has approved 21.45 Cr for the Renovation and Beautification of Cabo-de-Rama Fort, which is under the care and protection of the Directorate of Archives.
D’Costa, along with Goa Heritage Action Committee Dr Jorson Fernandes, scores of residents assembled inside the Cabo-De-Rama Fort and said, ‘Whatever tender for over 21 crores is done for renovation and Beautification of Cabo-de-Rama Fort has to be first shown and opened up to the people, particularly the residents, the heritage committee of Cabo-de-Rama, because they as locals also knows, or have the expertise as to what is to be done and how it is to be done.
“Taking the locals into confidence, Government should go ahead. Government should think about it before starting the work. We want to clarify that nothing on Cabo-De-Rama Fort should go ahead without taking us into confidence. This is not the time to enforce its own actions on the people; Government is for the people. My request is to take people into confidence,” he said.
Altone said he does not want the same thing to happen as in North Goa.
“In South, we have this fort we had to maintain it properly, show us first what you plan to do, show us a blueprint of the renovation and Beautification of Cabo-de-Rama Fort. We are not against the Government nor against the tender; we only want to know what and how exactly you are carrying out the restoration and Beautification. Please also take the feedback of locals, do it in joint collaboration; we will be with the Government, we are not going to do any obstruction to government intention, but we will be with the Government to start the works,” he said
Altone also alleged Government previously did some restoration work, but within a short period, the walls collapsed, and crores of rupees went into the drain; it is taxpayers’ money; Government should use public money positively.
“I request our Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and also Minister for Archives Subhash Phaldessai to look into this matter and do not allow wastage of public money. I will also talk to both personally and inform them how to go about it and inform them that we will do it by taking everyone in confidence,” he said.
Incidentally, there is a church in devotion to St. Anthony located right inside the fort where the feast is celebrated every year; besides, some people have private properties.
“We have some sentiments as well. It should not happen like someone comes and bulldozes everything, so we should take preventive actions before such things happen,” he said.
A resident informed that a marshy land with a lake, no structures, and nothing inside the Fort precincts is marked as a settlement zone in a regional plan.
“If such an area becomes a settlement zone, we don’t know what will happen here. Our demand is to withdraw that area as a settlement zone, and two years back, we approached CM and the director of Archives requesting to take us (our committee) and people into confidence if anything is being done to renovate or beautify the fort,” he said.
“We are telling you what to do with that marshy land, excavate it and beautify it as a lake; it will give Greenery around. We cannot simply allow anything to happen here; our centuries-old heritage can go into the doldrums. We have seen what is happening in some tourist places, including trading of drugs and all; we don’t want that to happen here.,” he added.
Stating all the first forts are under the department of Archives and Archaeology, Dr Jorson informed, these forts are given to GTDC to restore and beautify.
“They are attempting to it in their own way, and later guided the residents to put the issue before gram sabha, demand withdrawal of Settlement zone inside the Fort, on Gramsabha resolution do the restoration work, besides restoration people should be informed what else is done,” he said
Incidentally, some people highlighted their issues and also raised questions over the traditional access they enjoy through the age to their properties, fishing activities, etc., if unplanned development is carried out.
Goa Heritage Action Committee consisting of Engineers, Architects, also spoke on the need to protect and preserve the natural habitat of the Cabo-De-Rama Fort and its age-old natural and harmonious surroundings.
