Criticising the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for its lackadaisical attitude towards the preservation of a 17th century Catholic church, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday appealed to Union Minister of State for Tourism, Prahlad Patel, for assistance.

In a letter to Patel, Malik also urged the Union Ministry to instruct the ASI to complete maintenance work at the Old Goa church complex, one of the most popular tourism destinations in the state, before the onset of the monsoon.

"Though ASI has cited various constraints for the slow pace of work such as non-availability of sand or dillydallying and unresponsive behaviour of the contractors, the entire attitude of the ASI in preserving, conserving and restoring the Basilica seems to be casual and lackadaisical," the Governor said in his letter to Patel.

"The report of the ASI reflects uncoordinated action and non-committal attitude of the different branches of the ASI in dealing with the preservation and restoration of the architectural marvel," Malik said in his letter.

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