Slum-like development ruining Old Goa’s aesthetic environment

Panaji: Haphazard development in and around Old Goa's world heritage church complex amid crass governmental neglect is choking the former capital, as its heritage character and ambience faces a severe threat of defacement.

A couple of decades of unregulated growth has already shrunk the old city, once protected by a 20km-long wall stretching from Gandaulim to Carambolim, Goalim Moula and Bainguinim. But, after most of the 100 churches, chapels, convents, hospitals, stately houses and other imposing edifices crumbled or were razed following the abandoning of the capital in the 18th century, the decay and neglect has continued to eat into its aesthetic environment.

Illegal kiosks, garages, carpentry and steel units and stationary hand carts have mushroomed in open spaces within the 100m no development zone (NDZ) of the church complex. A few structures and a small compound wall in the garden of a new bungalow of power minister and Cumbharjua MLA Pandurang Madkaiker, a restaurant near one of the gates of Basilica of Bom Jesus complex are some of the structures that have come up recently in the heritage sensitive zone.

"The world heritage site is slowly being destroyed due to lack of a masterplan that would have ensured regulated growth in the area," Peter Viegas, coordinator, save Old Goa action committee (SOGAC) said. The activists had been lobbying for proper planning in the former capital, thronged by hundreds of tourists and pilgrims daily.

"Our pleas have fallen on deaf ears as authorities have not accorded due importance to the world heritage site designated by Unesco and a site with rich multi-layered history dating back to pre-Portuguese era," Viegas said.

Heritage groups and activists have lapsed into silence even as the old city witnessed progressive decay due to slum-like development and the spread of filth and squalor in and around the heritage precinct. A detour along a narrow road leading to the Arch of Conception, a state protected monuments, shows rows of shanties and illegal structures below it.

Many sites of archaeological importance scattered in Old Goa and away from the church complex are being lost, as the archaeological survey of India (ASI) has mainly focused on conserving existing monuments. "The whole site of the former capital city has to be looked at as a whole in its full integrity, authenticity and historicity," a source said.

"Maintenance of hygiene and garbage management has also woefully failed. Many illegal structures have been erected by some panchas or with the blessings of Old Goa panchayat," sources said.

Madkaikar assured that strict action will be initiated against illegal kiosks and structures in the heritage zone. "We have issued 40 notices to these illegal structures and measures are being initiated for proper garbage collection," he said.

He denied that the recent structures near his new bungalow, for which he has obtained due approval from national monuments authority (NMA), are illegal. "They are 100 metres away from the basilica gate," he said.

But, ASI officials said these structures and many other kiosks and stalls, that have come up recently, are in the buffer zone. "We have issued notices to them but have not received due support from government authorities," an ASI official.

Madkaikar said that a master plan is being considered for the old city.

"Work to draft a plan for Old Goa is in progress," he said. But heritage lovers are skeptical, as this was his assurance more than a decade ago and it has remained unfulfilled.