MARGAO
Khell tiatrists and Konkani folk play artists are up in arms red over the hefty fees they are required to pay to Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) for use of sound to stage plays during the three-day Carnival festivities.
The artists have now knocked the doors of Environment Minister Alexio Sequeira with a plea to either exempt them from payment of fees or impose a nominal fee taking into account that khell tiatrs form part of Goa’s rich culture, heritage and tradition.
The Khell tiatrists contended that they may end up paying huge fees to GSPCB, and in the bargain suffer losses after clearing the bills of artists and musicians performing at the Carnival khell shows.
Led by the Tiatrist Arnaldo Costa, a delegation of khell tiatrists called on Environment Minister Alexio Sequeira at his Friday darbar in the South district Collectorate with a plea to exempt them from the payment of fees for use of sound.
After giving the delegation a patient hearing, the Minister telephonically spoke to GSPCB Member Secretary Dr Shamila Monteiro to find out whether any solution can be worked out.
In fact, the Minister later told the GSPCB Member Secretary to meet him at the Secretariat in the evening for detailed discussions on the issue.
The tiatirsts led by Arnold later told The Goan that they have sought the intervention of the Environment Minister considering the fact that they may end up in paying a hefty fee of Rs 45,000 to the GSPCB for staging shows during the three-day Carnival festivities.
Assuming that the khell tiatrists stage around five khells a day on each of the three-day Carnival festival, Arnold said the directors will have no option than to pay a hefty fee of Rs 45,000 to the GSPCB charging a fee of Rs 3000 per show. “Tiatrists have been maintaining the rich tradition of staging khells during the Carnival to maintain the rich tradition in Goa. If the GSPCB is hell bent in imposing hefty fees, many a director in the long run may altogether stop staging the shows for want of economic viability”, he said.
“The directors of Khells have to pay nothing less than Rs 50,000 for the musicians on all the three days. Besides, they have to take care of the artists and also provide transport to move from one village and city to another. We are ready to pay a token fee of Rs 3000 to GSPCB. Hope our plea finds favour with GSPCB”, he added.
