OLD GOA
The declaration of St Ann feast as State feast, which is celebrated annually in the month of July at Santan, has come under a cloud as St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar informed that the PWD did not take care of the preparations of the festival as the official gazette notifying it as State festival could not be found.
Borkar made the startling statement while speaking to reporters after the feast mass, on Sunday.
Borkar informed that the feast was declared as State feast by late CM Manohar Parrikar when late Vishnu Wagh was St Andre MLA.
“However, it appears that the official gazette declaring the festival as State feast is missing,” Borkar stated while adding that this year, funds for preparation of the feast were spent from his funds i.e. MLA’s funds.
“When I spoke to PWD minister Nilesh Cabral about the arrangements for the feast, he told me to get the official gazette wherein the festival has been declared as State festival. However I was not able to do so,” Borkar stated.
“Before that, the PWD would do all the arrangements as it was declared a State festival. However, this year, the preparations were done through MLA's funds as the official gazette declaring St Ann feast as State feast could not be found,” Borkar said while adding that he does not why only this year the government has not contributed towards the preparations of the festival.
Borkar, however, informed that he would raise the issue in the Assembly and ensure that the feast gets due recognition as State festival.
