Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, in his budget speech last March had proposed to develop Chandor as a heritage village with a mind to showcase the rich heritage and history of the State. The quaint village nestled in Salcete, known in ancient times as Chandrapur, was the capital of the Kadamba dynasty which ruled Goa till 1367 before it relinquished power to Vijaynagars. Chandrapur served as a main power base in the 4th-century rule of the Bhojas.
Although there are few footprints of the ancient historic times, it is still rich in heritage. Chandor hosts the unique ‘Nandi’ bull that was excavated in the 1930s, add to this the remnants of a fort at Cotta, an 11th-century temple, the Sao Tiago Chapel in Cavorim, the Braganza House and the Sara Fernandes House bearing 17th-century architecture and the many other palatial houses that hold the charm of this heritage village.
When CM announced that Chandor was going to be developed as a heritage village back then he must have been captivated by the splendour of the village, little realising what it could entail and how locals would react. At that time, Leader of the Opposition and local MLA Yuri Alemao was quick to thank the CM for the “gift” of heritage, saying that he had made a strong case with the government in that regard and his request had been met. A little less than a year later, very little has moved on the ground and government agencies have now begun to encounter difficulties along the road to heritage status, a job which was perceived to be an easy one initially.
The moot problem lies in the fact that most of the heritage areas that have been identified are under private ownership, including Comunidade and Fabrica, besides individuals. Notifying such areas which have private ownership could trigger opposition on the lines of other projects like the bio-diversity heritage site status for lakes in Curtorim which has seen resistance for the fear that in the process of demarcating heritage and protecting lakes for posterity, interests of the local population may be affected.
The government agencies entrusted with the job of implementing the heritage tag to Chandor face an uphill task of moving ahead with the job since before even proceeding they will have to seek NOCs from the private players who are feeling the stress. Also, there will have to be rehabilitation and compensation plans worked out.
Yuri Alemao who welcomed the heritage tag decision earlier faces a dilemma now because bulldozing against the wishes of private players could harm him politically. Given the nature of opposition to heritage sites and wetlands, legislators rooting for the BJP government face a predicament of espousing plans without hurting public interests.
Identifying, demarcating and protecting heritage sites is a wonderful concept, and would even go a long way to steady the tourism sector which is facing turbulence right now. However, with the tricky landscape of Goa, this will be easier said than done. The State government will have to take one step at a time, reach out to the people through the agencies engaged for the purpose, bringing clarity of thought, show transparency in action and move with people of the area in tow. Preserving heritage is important, no doubt, but showing inclusivity is equally crucial.
