Artistes to protest slipshod renovation of Kala Academy

Panaji:Kala Rakhonn Mandd, a newly formed organisation of artistes from across Goa, has announced a state-wide movement against the alleged shoddy renovation of Kala Academy
Addressing a press conference in Panaji on Saturday, organisation’s convener Devidas Amonkar said that the movement will be launched formally from the Kala Academy entrance on July 2.
He said that soon, a meeting of artistes will be convened to strengthen the movement and added that representatives of the Charles Correa Foundation (CCF) would be roped in to explain to the artistes the current situation of Kala Academy.
“We demand with govt to produce white paper on the repairs conducted on Kala Academy with all its updates. We will seek a joint meeting of chief minister Pramod Sawant and art and culture minister Govind Gaude to discuss the issue,” Amonkar said.
The organisation, with govt permission, will carry out a technical audit of Kala Academy renovation work and also prepare video documentation of it, he added.
Konkani dramatist Rajdeep Naik said that the Kala Rakhonn Mandd has been formed to initiate the movement for Kala Academy and also to work as a shadow council for the protection of art and culture, and to raise voice in the better interest of art and culture-related issues.
“I appeal to all the artiste community, including tiatrists, to express their views on Kala Academy status through various means of communication so the voice reaches govt,” Naik said.
He added that all possible support will be provided to institutions or individuals in their legal battles for the restoration of Kala Academy, which is considered a symbolic cultural heritage of the state.