Goa heritage policy to empower local bodies, document sites

The Goa government's Heritage Policy will make local bodies like panchayats and municipal councils the guardians of architectural monuments in their jurisdiction, a senior official said Thursday.

The Heritage Policy is currently being drafted by a sub-committee under the state Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department's Conservation Committee.

"Financial assistance would be provided to bodies which are working for conservation and preservation of heritage structures in the state," a TCP official said.

He informed that the policy will envisage providing financial help for the protection and conservation ofheritagestructures located on private properties.

In order to provide protection to such structures on private land, the Goa government will financially support land owners and encourage them to develop the area for heritage tourism, he added.

He said the policy will work to have "unanimity" by giving structures a particular colour during renovation.

"Conservationists and heritage activists are being taken into confidence while finalising this policy which is essential to protect such structures," the TCP official said.

The official said the state-run Goa College of Architecture in Panaji will be empanelled to document heritage structures, monuments and site in the state so that they can be preserved better.

The official added the state Archives and Archaeology Department had listed 51 monumentsand structures under the protected category, including ruins, chapels, convents, church, temples, forts and.