Porvorim: Goa government has decided to withdraw its own decision to form Urban Arts Commission and instead replace it with Design Advisory Panel, which will help Goa to retain its unique architectural identity.
State Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai said that the new DAP will be bereft of any representation to political personalities including the minister, and it would comprise of “only professionals and government servants.”
Sardesai earlier last month had announced formation of Urban Arts Commission which was supposed to advice the State government in retaining unique Architectural identity of the coastal state.
He said that during the recent panel discussion organised by Indian Institute of Architect’s Goa Chapter, there was a suggestion that Urban Arts commission may not take us to where we want to reach.
“It (Commission) would be yet another regulatory mechanism which will only make you come to another set of controls. This has happened in Delhi where the culture of ‘shifaris architecture’ has begun. If we want to bring that kind of culture in Goa then this is not the right thing,” Sardesai said.
“I also felt that government should be open for reviewing the decision that is taken. I also felt that if urban arts commission is not going to take where we want to reach then we will have to review it,” he added.
The minister who met renowned architects like Edgar Rebeiro and Manguesh Prabhugaonkar at Porvorim on Wednesday said that it was concluded to have Design Advisory Panel instead of the Commission.
“The basic function of this Design Advisory Panel (DAP) would be to look after aesthetic. The Architect will have to come to this Design Advisory Panel and put up his case, why his project should be approved. It is not that because your FAR is correct. You will have to come to DAP and defend your case. We will have DAP one for North and another for South Goa,” he said.
The minister said that DAP would be applicable, during first phase, to the areas where there is Outline Development Plan and Heritage Areas like Assagao (North Goa), Chandor and Loutolim (South Goa) besides others.
WARD LEVEL PLANNING FOR OLD GOA
In Old Goa, the regional plan does not protect what Archives and Archeology should be protecting. Edgar Rebeiro will be give presentation on how panchayat plans of Old Goa panchayats should be. That will actually be accentuating what is seen in the Regional Plan. Next meeting of TCP will finalise it.
DAP NOT TO HAVE POLITICIANS
DAP will have professionals nominated on it. It will not have politicians. There will be no minister or politician on it.
WARD LEVEL PLANNING FOR GOA
Sardesai said that government is trying to make sure that through these ODP and other things, we retain the identity of Goa. There is requirement of ward planning. Rebeiro said that in Goa we do it at macro level and not micro level. New ODP’s will have Comprehensive Development plan which will involve ward planning.
DAP FOR TALEIGAO AND MARGAO FIRST
Sardesai said: “DAP will be applicable at Taleigo and Margao where ODP is finalized. Everything is prospective. We cannot look at thing retrospective.”
“We don’t want to force. Another thing is that even my idea that this Architecture should be compulsory for Goa, this is little bit of Talibanist attitude, it should not be like this. People should adopt it then be forced.”
