Fatorda MLA fears 4-laning will affect Old Goa’s heritage status - Herald

Fatorda MLA fears 4-laning will affect Old Goa’s heritage status April 10, 2013 TEAM HERALD PANJIM: Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday feared that the renowned Old Goa Churches will lose their world heritage monument status as declared by UNESCO, if government goes ahead with the proposed four-lane corridor. Sardesai also asked whether government has taken approval of the National Monuments Authority and whether the Archaeological Survey of India was consulted for the proposed four-lane road. “The four-lane road would affect the heritage status of the Old Goa complex,” he argued. Sardesai said that the proposed highway is just 100 metres away from the monuments while the existing rule mandates 300 metres distance. The Fatorda MLA brought to the notice of the House that Archaeological Survey of India had rightly pointed out that with the proposed four-lane road, the heritage status would be affected. He said that ASI has been consistently writing to the State government expressing it worry over the proposed road. Responding to the query during Question Hour, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the State government will follow all the laws while constructing the four-lane road, which is necessary to do away with the traffic which currently using the highway running through two of Old Goa’s monuments ~ Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral. “We will go as per the law. But the new law making 300 mtrs mandatory came to force in 2011, while the land for the same was acquired much in advance,” he added. Parrikar defended government decision not to take approval of National Monument Authority. ., Parrikar said, “If you listen to their (ASI’s) observations, they will not even allow Mass to happen in the Churches (at Old Goa).” In a reply tabled in the House, Transport Minister Ramkrishna Dhavalikar said that no destruction of archeologically rich heritage area will occur with the proposed four-lane alignment. “The four-lane project bypasses the historic city thereby avoiding the fragmentation of the world heritage site,” he said. http://www.heraldgoa.in/News/Local%20News/Fatorda-MLA-fears-4-laning-will-affect-Old-Goa-rsquo-s-heritage-status/73034.html