Five star hotel eyeing heritage structures

PANAJI - Five star hotel lobbies are behind a controversial amendment to a heritage conservation legislation which heritage protection groups Tuesday alleged would put historic monuments and sites at risk.

Prajal Sakhardande, executive member of the Goa Heritage Action Group (GHAG), said the amendment, which has been assented to by Governor S.S. Sidhu, had put the 51 notified heritage structures in Goa at risk.

“The clauses in the act makes the heritage structures susceptible to the greed of five star lobbies, who plan to commercially exploit these monuments,” Sakhardande said.

“There are attempts by a European hospitality company to take over the Cabo de Rama fort in Canacona (located 80 kms from Panaji) by denotifying it,” Sakhardande said.

Some heritage sites at risk include nine forts built by the Portuguese and erstwhile rulers of the state, rock art sites and numerous temples and Churches from the Portuguese and pre-Portuguese era, his group said.

–Indo Asian News Service