*Complex witnessed slow decay instead of promised infra * File of project still pending with anti-corruption bureau
MARGAO
As the newly constituted panel heading Ravindra Bhavan Margao braces up to assume office on Monday on the auspicious day dedicated to the presiding deity Lord Dambab, Chairman Rajendra Talak and his team has a task cut out -- to put the cultural institution back on the tracks and restore its glory.
A host of long-pending issues may come back to haunt the new panel as the team goes about its work. Take note, Ravindra Bhavan Margao achieved the distinction of hosting the inaugural IFFI 2011 ceremony after the institution underwent a major face-lift when the government headed by then Chief Minister & Margao MLA Digambar Kamat sanctioned crores of rupees to deck up the institution for the big occasion.
That’s not all. Hopes were raised that Ravindra Bhavan will soon play host to two mini-theatres and a multi-storied parking lot as announced by former union information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni during the IFFI inaugural programme. A state-of-the-art audio studio, work was also promised during IFFI.
Sadly, instead of playing host to the promised infrastructure, the Ravindra Bhavan complex witnessed a slow and steady decay for want of upkeep. The interlocking pavers laid ahead of the IFFI inaugural ceremony soon caved in, while cracks were all visible on the building.
The promised state-of-the-art audio studio failed to take off. Instead, the file of the Rs 60 lakh project funded with sponsorship with a petroleum company is still pending with the anti-corruption bureau of the Vigilance department. The two mini-theatres promised by the former union minister did not see the light of day.
While the cracks in the building have been plugged with repair, the Ravindra Bhavan is still plagued by a host of issues, known as the Mecca of Tiatr. Ravindra Bhavan’s new Governing Council indeed has a task cut out to put the logistics in place to take the institution to greater heights.
Sound system replacement
That Ravindra Bhavan is craving for attention in respect of the replacement of the sound system in the main auditorium came to the fore at the Children’s Tiatr festival when the sound gave a huge problem for a participating group from Velim. That the group could not give its best for want of a proper sound system was raised with Ravindra Bhavan Member Secretary Agnelo Fernandes by Velim MLA Cruz Silva.
The issue prompted the Member Secretary to send a proposal to the Department of Art and Culture to take a call on the replacement of the system.
“I sent the proposal for the replacement of the sound system after complaints from many quarters. Since the new Governing Council has been constituted and is assuming office on Monday, the panel will do the follow-up of the matter with the government since it involves huge funds from the government,” Agnelo told The Goan.
Canteen facility
A visit to the Ravindra Bhavan on Sunday revealed that the canteen remains shut down. A makeshift canteen facility is being provided during the staging of tiatrs at the ticket counter. Taking note of the hardships faced by the tiatr fans, tea and snacks are being served at the ticket counter as a stopgap arrangement.
Inquiries have only revealed that the canteen facility has remained shut since Covid struck. An attempt was made to revive the canteen facility by Ravindra Bhavan Member Secretary Agnelo Fernandes, but the process was bogged down by administrative red tape.
Every time, Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude visited Ravindra Bhavan, he promised to restart the canteen, but in vain.
Questions, however, are doing the rounds about why the Ravindra Bhavan did not accept bids submitted by two self-help groups to run the canteen – whether it was on genuine grounds that the SHGs did not meet the norms or was the proposal kept on hold since the matter fell in the domain of the General Council to waive off the fee payments.
Annex building and art & culture classes
A visit to the Ravindra Bhavan revealed that the Annex building has not been effectively put to use till date. This building was supposed to house the state-of-the-art audio studio on the ground floor and start art & culture classes on the top floors.
Ravindra Bhavan officials pointed out that the PWD has still not handed over the Annex building to the management. Others say the building facility should be immediately put to effective use for the intended objective to promote art and culture.
Open-air and sanitation facilities
The new Governing Council will have a task cut out to revamp the open-air facility, besides toilets on priority. Broken benches, a leaning lamp stand and strays all around the place welcomed onto the open-air facility, indicating that the place has been craving attention for a long time now but in vain.
The rear side of the complex still has no interlocking pavers after the damaged ones were removed and lifted away since they were the cause of several accidents.
Member Secretary Agnelo Fernandes pointed out that though the institution has a well-equipped sanitation facility, he hastened to add that the toilet blocks need repairs and maintenance. “We had moved a file to the government to take up the work of repairing and replacing the toilets to cater to the requirements,” he said.
