PANAJI
A day after the preliminary inspection, the State government’s Task Force Committee on Kala Academy decided to rope in experts to resolve issues at the iconic venue, while expressing utter disappointment on the quality of repair works.
During its first meeting, chaired by theatre artist Vijay Kenkre, the Committee expressed disappointment with the current State of the Kala Academy.
“The quality of the work done doesn’t even deserve passing marks. There's still a lot to be fixed... I am not satisfied… It’s not up to the mark. We need to get experts to resolve these issues. There are several problems such as with the ACs, leakages and sound system among others all of which need to be resolved," Kenkre told media after the meeting.
The Committee has scheduled another inspection from November 10-12, which is when contractors from the agencies involved in the work are summoned.
“We must ensure that we don’t repeat the same mistakes,” Kenkre said, assuring they will complete their report at the earliest including recommendations for necessary improvements and upgradation of the structure. The meeting was also attended by PWD officials.
On Monday, the Committee observed issues with the sound system and ACs, which the Chairman described as minor and easily fixable.
After the meeting on Tuesday, Kenkre reiterated that any future repairs would be carried out with complete honesty. “The upcoming work will be done honestly,” he stated, adding that the repairs will not be a one-day job and will require proper expertise.
Kala Academy is likely to be used for the upcoming International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in November during which film screenings, talk shows, exhibitions and other related events will be held.
The State government had over a month back constituted a 13-member task force committee to review the current status of infrastructure work at the Kala Academy.
The committee is tasked with also providing recommendations for improvement and upgradation of the structure.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, during the monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly in August, had assured that a committee comprising artists will be constituted to provide suggestions and review the ongoing repair works.
IAS officer and Education Secretary Prasad Lolayekar was appointed as the nodal officer to facilitate coordination between the government and the committee.
The structure was renovated at a cost of Rs 56 crore with allegations of Rs 49 crore scam.
