the goan I network
MAPUSA
The Mapusa Municipal Council on Wednesday gave a free hand to the Bodgeshwar devasthan (temple committee) to draw up plans for setting up of stalls for the fair during the popular Bodgeshwar zatra in Mapusa.
The council unanimously resolved to issue no objection certificates (NOCs) to people interested in setting up of stalls for the fair provided they conform to the layout of the temple committee.
The council also decided to allocate Rs 1 lakh to the temple committee in its effort to make the festival plastic free.
Mapusa Chairperson Ryan Braganza informed the council that a couple of individuals had approached the civic body for permission to set up stalls for the Bodgeshwar fair.
In the past those interested used to approach the temple committee and accordingly individuals were allotted space in the open ground in front of the temple.
Former chairperson, Sandip Falari said the devasthan committee should prepare the layout for the stalls and those interested should conform to the plan.
“The NOCs that MMC issues should be in consonance with the devasthan committee as has been happening all these years,” Falari said.
He said the onus of issuing NOC to the owner or the tenant will remain with the council but it will be subject to the devasthan committee’s plan.
“In no way it reduces the authority of the council or increases the devasthan committee’s influence,” he said.
The annual five-day Bodgeshwar zatra will be held from January 20 onwards. Around 600 stalls of various sizes are set up in the open space in front of the temple during the zatra.
Former chairperson, Rohan Kavlekar said in the past the devasthan committee allotted the stall space to interested people and the civic body only collected sopo from the stall owners.
Councilor, Madhumita Narvekar said the right to issue NOC should rest with the council while the temple committee could recommend the location to set up the stalls.
Councilors, Tushar Tople, Rajsingh Rane, Martin Carrasco, Swapnil Shirodkar, Sudhir Kandolkar and Franky Carvalho also participated in the discussion.
In order to make the zatra plastic free, the temple committee has decided to supply paper bags to all the stall owners.
The council has decided to subsidize the cost of the paper bags and allotted Rs 1 lakh to the devasthan committee for the purpose.
Last year MMC had allotted Rs 50,000 to the committee for the same purpose.
