the goan I network
MARGAO
Asserting that the government is committed to rectify all glaring mistakes in the RP21, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai assured Colva villagers that the TCP Board at its meeting scheduled for August 16 will drop the proposed 25-mts wide Major District Road (MDR) aligned over the 400-year old heritage Our Lady of Merces Church.
He allayed apprehensions raised by Benaulim MLA Churchill, Our Lady of Merces Church Parish Priest Fr Simpliciano Fernandes and the villagers that the MDR notified in the RP21 will result in the demolition of a portion of the Church to pave way for the road. “The 400-year old Our Lady of Merces Church, Colva is our heritage. It is our responsibility to protect this heritage. People need not fear about the road. The road will not be widened as notified in the RP21,” the TCP Minister said, while addressing a meeting at the Church hall at Colva which was attended by a large number of villagers and parishioners to demand rectification of the RP21 and save the Church from demolition to pave way for the 25-metre road.
“In the just concluded Assembly session, the government had passed a Bill, which amongst other things, will ensure rectification of mistakes in the RP21 as compared to the RP01. Churchill Alemao had also supported the Bill. As far as Colva Church is concerned, I can assure you that the TCP Board at its August 16 meeting will drop the alignment of the 25-metre wide road. The Colva Church is our heritage,” he said.
Sardesai also promised to drop other wide roads and cross roads shown in the RP21 in Benaulim constituency.
In his address, local MLA Churchill Alemao made a fervent plea to the TCP Minister to drop the proposed 25-metre wide road passing over the Colva Church. “My decision to support the Bill tabled by the TCP Minister was not to support the government, but to support and protect the 400-year old Colva Church. I have told Sardesai to drop the road and I am confident that the road will be dropped on August 16,” Churchill said, adding ‘this is not politics. We are here not to do politics’.
Before handing over a memorandum to the TCP Minister, Our Lady of Merces Church Parish Priest, Fr Simpliciano Fernandes said the Colva Church has been the pride and joy of people over the centuries. “The Church is not only sacred, but is our heritage. Don’t destroy our heritage, but find a way out,” he said.
In his memorandum, Fr Simpliciano drew attention of the TCP Minister that the proposed 25-metre MDR road will destroy the heritage Church structure since it is aligned over the Church. While calling for the dropping of the road, Fr Simpliciano suggested to re-align the road on the southern side of the Church.
Colva Sarpanch Anthony Fernandes, former sarpanch Menino Fernandes, Assistant Parish Priest Fr Mariano, ZP member Nelly Rodrigues, besides Chief Town Planner Rajesh Naik were present for the meeting. The meeting hall was packed to capacity as anxious villagers attended the meeting.
to demand dropping of the road passing over the 400-year old heritage Church.
