MAPUSA
Disclosing that the Art and Culture department and the Cunchelim comunidade have exchanged letters over the Ravindra Bhavan project, Deputy Speaker and Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza said the State government is expected to take a decision on the key project sooner than later.
D’Souza also said that scientific and full-fledged desilting of Mapusa river is expected to be taken up in the next two months.
“Cunchelim comunidade has asked for office space as one of its conditions. The negotiation is going on between the Art and Culture department and the comunidade. I don’t think the government will have a problem in offering office space to them. We expect some decision in the matter in the next one month or so,” D’Souza said.
According to Mapusa MLA, since the Cunchelim comunidade is donating 20,000 sq mt of land for the Ravindra Bhavan project the demand for an office space is fair enough.
“The Art and Culture department will look into it and take an appropriate decision. Once an agreement is signed by both the parties then the work will take off quickly,” he said.
The need for a cultural centre in the form of Ravindra Bhavan in Bardez was always there but the project got stuck due to problems in identifying a proper site.
The Mapusa MLA informed that WRD Minister, Subhash Shirodkar has promised to take up thorough desilting of the Mapusa River (Tar River) “ from Green Park right up to Moira River “ within next two months.
“We are expecting scientific and full-fledged desilting of the river to take place once the monsoon retreats between October-November. This will be a more important exercise which will avoid desilting of the river two/three times a year,” he said.
He said a plan to take up beautification of the Mapusa River was suggested to the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) when he was the vice-chairman of the corporation in his previous term.
“We could plan a nice walkway and a sit out for people to come and enjoy the beauty of the place. Beautification of the river will be one of its kind projects in Goa,” D’Souza said.
