A worker carries records from the Portuguese-era Canacona Municipal Council building, which has been taken up for demolition at Chaudi. Captured by : Kathy Fernandes
CANACONA
Once considered a heritage building of Canacona, the Portuguese-era building which housed the Canacona Municipal Council’s (CMC) administrative office was finally taken up for demolition to make way for a 2-s
After removing the roof, dismantling electrical appliances and gadgets, workers were also seen shifting old records, registers and electrical gadgets such as fans and tubelights to the adjoining IDMST building.
“Removal of roof tiles and rafters is in progress and within a short while, the walls will be demolished,” said a source at the site.
The Portuguese-era building, believed to be one of the first public utility buildings in Goa after liberation, once housed various government offices, including the office of Canacona Mamlatdar.
When plans were afoot to demolish this building, some heritage lovers had raised objections and even suggested an adjacent site to house the new CMC building, so that the old building would be preserved as a heritage site for posterity.
However, these objections faded over time and the process resumed to construct a new municipal building at the same site.
The taluka library and office of Land Survey and Records which were functioning from the same building were shifted elsewhere, while the CMC office was moved to the unused and former Dr Dhillon Hospital near Char-Rasta.
A press room of the Canacona Patrakar Sangh, however, has been closed down and the CMC has agreed to provide alternate space for media persons in Canacona.
