Panaji: Goa’s apex travel union – Travel and Tourism Association of Goa – has said that the “adopt a monument” scheme of the central government should not result in denying public access to the monuments and the heritage.
Goa government had recently expressed its unhappiness over union government’s move to allow six monuments including Churches from Goa to be adopted under this scheme designed by Union government.
TTAG during its meeting held this week (May 03) has welcomed the concept but with several apprehensions.
“The idea of “adopt a monument scheme” of the central government by itself is a very good idea. There is need to privatise the up keep of heritage historical monuments all over India and even in Goa keeping in mind that we have National Monuments and State protected Monuments,” TTAG has said in a press note issued here.
The association has said that in no case should such a policy dilute the ownership of the State and in no case should it result in denying public access to the monuments and our heritage.
“Goa needs to follow suit in respect of State protected documents. The Government in doing so needs to distinguish between religious and the non-religious historical monuments. As far as religious documents there is need to follow a consultative process between the respective Government and the respective religious bodies,” the TTAG has said.
The TTAG has further resolved that there should be a transparent policy for selecting the corporate or private entity entrusted with such monuments.
“Profit should not be the motive and it should be purely a CSR exercise by the respective corporate,” the association said.
The TTAG refrains from commenting on the process followed by the Centre as regards the Red Fort as it did not have sufficient material with it as to the process followed by the Centre, it has added.
“It was further resolved that the State protected documents should be left to the State Government to decide, even though the TTAG felt that it is advisable for the State Government to follow the same policy for improvement of the up keep of its monuments,” the association has added.
State government has conveyed a meeting this week of the concern officials, Archeological Survey of India and others to discuss about the scheme.
The monument should not be messed up due to budgetary constraints of the firm adapting it as a CSR activity. There should be a clear understanding about the type of treatment (chemical or physical) for maintaince and repairs and approvals to be taken for repairs from necessary bodies to maintain the originality .
Secondly the restriction on advertisements specially inside the religious monuments and permit only the play card type of advertisement not affecting the structure of the monument