MAPUSA
Upset that Mapusa has not been included in the Shigmo celebrations this year, the Mapusa Shigmotsav Mandal met local MLA Joshua D’Souza and urged him to appeal to the government to allow the Shigmotsav in Mapusa.
“For the last several years, the Shimgotsav is being celebrated in Mapusa with great fun and fervour. Several people from Bardez and other areas participate in the celebration as Mapusa is a centrally located city in the North,” said Gurudas Natekar, President of the Mapusa Shigmotsav Mandal in a representation to the Mapusa MLA.
As a matter of abundant caution due to the pandemic, the government has decided to hold Shigmo festivities in Ponda, Panaji and Margao.
A delegation of the Shigmotsav committee including the President, Treasurer Sadanand Shet Narvekar, Advisor Mohan Kanekar and Prakash Dhumal met the Mapusa MLA at his residence and requested him to speak to the government to include Mapusa in the list.
“We have been holding Shigmo celebrations in Mapusa for the last 40 years much before the government came into the picture. People are upset and hurt because our city is not included in the celebrations this year,” Mohan Kanekar told The Goan.
He said the committee will take all necessary precautions and follow all the MHA guidelines on account of the pandemic.
Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza assured the delegation that he will meet Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and impress upon him to continue with the tradition of holding the Shimgotsav in Mapusa.
Incidentally, amid the Covid scare last year, the Shigmo parade was held in Mapusa but with a limited number of participants and much lesser crowd.
