60 years on, Colva panchayat seeks own flagpole

Colva: For close to 60 years, the Colva panchayat — the second richest in Goa after Calangute — has not had the national flag unfurled on its premises. The panchayat does not have a tricolour or a flagpole.
But in Jan this year, panch member Pio Furtado petitioned govt to allow the panchayat to install a flagpole.
The move comes after the panchayat members found themselves missing the flag-hoisting ceremony at the nearby govt primary school.
Since the panchayat’s inception in 1968, its members have had to count on the nearby govt primary school to invite them for the flag-hoisting ceremony on key national days such as Independence Day, Republic Day, and Liberation Day.
Following the petition, BDO Pranit Naik stepped in, directing the panchayat secretary in Feb to act. However, the installation of the flagpole is yet to be finalised with some members pushing to maintain the status quo.