PANAJI
More than a month after its constitution, the 15-member monitoring committee for drafting Heritage Policy is yet to hold its first meeting, even though it has to submit its report within six months.
The State government last month constituted the committee under Secretary Archaeology to draft the policy in consultation with experts and the general public by seeking their inputs. The committee has to also scrutinise the draft policy before submitting it to the government for approval.
Highly placed sources informed that the committee is yet to hold its first meeting. “The Secretary, who is the Chairman of the committee, has to call for the meeting. The meeting is also not scheduled for this month, as of now,” sources said.
It took almost six months for the government to constitute the committee after assuring on the Floor of the House, in July 2023, to draft a heritage policy for Goa within a year.
According to the government, there are 51 monuments of archaeological importance protected under the 'State list' while another 21 are under the Archaeology Survey of India (ASI). In addition, some 400 private heritage buildings are listed under the Town and Country Planning Act.
The Committee also comprises officials of Goa Heritage Action Group, Environmentalist and expert Rajendra Kerkar, Conservation Architect Ketak K Nachinolkar, Folklorist Dr Pandurang Phal Desai and expert Sanjeev Sardesai.
The issue had rocked the Monsoon Session of the State Assembly in July-August, last year, wherein the Minister Subhash Faldesai had said that the policy will cover identification, restoration and maintenance of the heritage structures including homes.
In 2010, the Rajiv Yaduvanshi Committee had identified 434 additional monuments and structures with immense heritage value, including 107 Catholic churches and 17 temples, across the State for its protection and conservation and inclusion in the protected list. However, the department claims it has no details of any such findings.
It was way back in 2018, then minister Vijai Sardesai had taken a lead to draft a Heritage Policy. However, with him being shunted out of power in early 2019, the policy didn’t see the light of the day.
