Will support any venture like Sunaparant: Dattaraj
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 29 July 2015 20:35 IST
Dattaraj Salgaoncar, Goa’s leading industrialist and owner of Sunaparant, has assured to support a similar venture like Sunaparant while expressing regrets over closing Goa’s sole Konkani newspaper due to heavy losses for 28 years.
This is a full statement he posted at the request of goanews.com:
It is with a very heavy heart that I have to take the decision today to close down Sunaparant, my own baby, which I had started as the need of the hour when Konkani was made the official language of Goa in 1987.
I never looked at the huge losses I had to bear for last 28 years since it was for a cause. I must say Sunaparant did very well in touching the hearts of Goans, and in terms of developing Konkani in the field of journalism as well as literature and taking ahead the thoughts of unity, free thoughts, secularism and scientific temper enshrined in our Constitution.
After 17 years, in 2004, I even bore further losses by making it more modern and with more colour pages. I was hopeful that the response would increase and we will make it a full-fledged daily like the chain newspapers of Maharashtra and other states dominating Goa’s media scenario.
But, unfortunately, Sunaparant did not get the expected response from Konkani readership or advertisers though the Konkani movement has become much stronger in last 28 years.
Sunaparant also did not get the official patronage and as support from the Goa Government it deserved after Konkani becoming Goa’s official language.
We also had to suffer a huge burden financially following the salary structure defined by Wage Boards from time to time, in terms of protecting the welfare of our employees.
All in all, the ever increasing production costs, stagnant circulation and lack of advertisements have made it impossible to sustain the newspaper.
It is with great sadness that I have to close this initiative which I started in the memory of our beloved father Vasudevbab Salgaoncar, who loved Konkani and Goa.
Sunaparant has done its part to support the Konkani movement and cause and I must say it has achieved a great success.
I am sure there will be more such champions and supporters and I promise to back them as Konkani is very dear to my heart.
Dev borem korum!
My personal view is that Sunaparant was a only konkani newspaper of goa and it should be there as Konkani is our official language. If the management cant afford to pay the salaryof staff, govt should put some attention in it. Mainly the Dept. of Information and Publicity should put some efforts and govt should fund it or else govt should takeover the newspaper as it is a only Konkani Newspaper of Goa. Amchi Maibhas jaagi urtali jalyar Konkani Sunaparant chalu urpak jai. ani pailich mhantat nhi Goenkarachyo teen garjo "Sheet Kaddi ani Sunaparant"
"Amchi Maibhas jaagi urtali jalyar Konkani Sunaparant chalu urpak jai"
If Konkani is going to remain alive on the crutches of a floundering newspaper, than better it is dead. Sorry, I may sound too crass, but couldn't resist. The death of Sunaparant reflects the reality of the situation.