Opinions invited on
Old GMC bldg.
PTI (Panaji)
13 November 2007
Goa government has invited public inputs to put a 400-year-old
heritage structure here, which once housed Asia's first medical
college, to creative use.
"We have invited suggestions and objections from the
stake holders and general public on the usage of this building,"
Nandini Paliwal, Chief Executive Officer, Entertainment Society
of Goa (ESG), which hosts International Film Festival of India
(IFFI), told PTI.
The government proposal to hand over the heritage structure,
which once housed Asia's first medical college to a private
firm, for converting it into a mall has drawn flak from the
heritage activists and medical professionals.
The building, which houses ESG and hosts IFFI annually, is
dated back to the Portuguese era.
Built in 1702, the structure then housed 'Maquinezes Palace'
and later became the home for Asia's first ever medical college
"Escola Medico Cirurgica De Nova Goa.' "ESG has
already constituted a sub-committee headed by noted writer
Vishnu Wagh, which will have a final say on "use of building"
after going through suggestions," Paliwal said.
Goa government faced wrath after it almost leased this heritage
structure to a company on 30-year-long contract for converting
into a mall.
"They (government) wanted to give this structure for
commercial use. This would have degraded the status of the
structure," heritage activist Prajal Sakhardande said.
Sakhardande, who is a part of well-known Goa heritage action
group (GHAG), said that the structure should be converted
into a museum
Your
Comments Please
