'Access to monuments shouldn't be denied in adoption scheme'

Welcoming the Centre's move of allowing six monuments in Goa for adoption, the state's apex travel union, however, said the scheme should not result in denying access to public to these historical sites.

The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) held a meeting over the issue two days back, in which it welcomed the concept, but also expressed certain reservations.

"The 'adopt a monument' scheme of the Centre by itself is a very good idea. There is a needto privatise the upkeep of heritage and historical monuments across India, including Goa, considering that there are national as well as state-protected monuments," the TTAG said in a statement issued here.

"But in no case should such a policy dilute the ownership of the state and result in denying public access to the monuments and our heritage," it added.

It said the government needs to distinguish between religious and the non-religious historical monuments.

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 purely be a CSR exercise by the respective corporates," it said.

The state government has convened a meeting next week of the officials concerned, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and others to discuss the issue.

The government has expressed its reservation over the Centre's move of listing six state monuments for adoption saying that it was being done without consulting the local authorities.