PANAJI
Even as the Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has submitted that the Old Goa structure has come up within the protected area of St Cajetan Church in violation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, concerned citizens and activists who have been stating it all along have informed that today they stand vindicated.
They have further demanded that in light of the Centre accepting that violations have taken place, the State government should waste no time in getting the structure demolished at the earliest.
Speaking to The Goan, activist Anthony D'Silva said that it is high time that the State government gets the structure demolished amicably.
“When the Centre says it is illegal, it has now become an open and shut case. The State government should now convince the owner of the structure and get the structure demolished amicably and not wait for orders from the court,” D'Silva added.
Stating that their stand has been vindicated by the Centre's reply, activist Mariano Ferrao said that the Goa government should take suo moto cognisance and pass an ordinance to get the structure demolished.
“The government should pass an ordinance on the issue and get the structure demolished,” Ferrao added.
Another activist Ana Gracias questioned why the State government is lagging in acting against the structure when its government at the Centre terms it illegal.
“If the structure had belonged to a common man, then the government would have not wasted any time in demolishing it but since it is owned by a powerful person they are going soft on the issue,” Gracias alleged.
Glen Cabral too said that with the Centre accepting that the structure has been built in violation of laws, then the process of demolition should be speedy.
“The State government can file an affidavit in the courts so that the issue could be fast-tracked and the structure demolished,” Cabral added.
