Nod for police station at Old Goa: Activist writes to central body

Panaji: John Mascarenhas, an activist, has written to the National Monument Authority (NMA), New Delhi, seeking the cancellation of permissions granted for the construction of a police station within the preservation area of Old Goa.

He is objecting to the permission for the construction of the ground-plus-first floor-plus-terrace structure, stating that no new development is permitted in a preservation area other than repairs to existing structures.In his letter, also sent to chief minister Pramod Sawant and the town and country planning department, Mascarenhas is seeking the enforcement of Clause 6B.1.4 of the Goa (Regulation of Land Development and Building Construction) Act, 2008, which strictly prohibits new development in preservation areas. He is also seeking that state govt notify heritage bylaws for Old Goa without further delay and that it halt all ongoing unauthorised constructions in the area, permitting only repairs.“The preservation of Old Goa’s unique heritage is both a national and international responsibility, essential to India’s cultural identity and to honouring commitments under the Unesco World Heritage Convention,” he stated.