MAPUSA
The Tourism Department on Monday informed that the annual Carnival parade will kick off from February 18 in Panaji, even as the traditional Shigmo parade will be wound up by 10 pm on account of High Court orders on sound pollution.
It was also decided that Carnival parades will also be held in Porvorim and Morjim.
As usual, the Carnival parades will also be held in Margao, Vasco and Mapusa on February 19, 20 and 21 respectively.
The Shigmo festivities will begin from Ponda on March 8 while the Shigma parade will be held in the capital city on March 11.
Tourism Director Nikhil Desai said that Shigmo parades will be at 17 centres across the State.
“We have decided to wind up the Shigmo float parades by 10 pm. All the organising committees have been asked to strictly follow the deadlines,” Desai said.
“We are bound by the High Court directions and therefore instructions have been issued to the participants that they must report on time,” he added.
Normally, Carnival parades wind up before 10 pm but Shigmo parades continue late in the night due to the lighting effect.
The Tourism Department also stressed on the quality of floats.
“The organising committees have been given the charge to finalise the routes of the Carnival. The government will support them in terms of infrastructure and other amenities,” the Tourism Director said.
