TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: The Costa ground episode may come to haunt the Margao city fathers.
Months after the civic body voted for acquisition of the ground admeasuring 9000-odd sq mts, the Town and Country Planning Department has raised queries on the payment of money for the proposed land acquisition.
Margao Municipal Council (technical section) has said the land acquisition cost may roughly work out Rs 7.5 crore given the latest land rates notified by the government and the City Fathers will be called to take a call on arranging the funds to acquire the ground.
Incidentally, the Costa ground issue did not figure at the last two meetings of the Civic body for reasons best known to the City Fathers.
Municipal sources said the land acquisition proposal has not moved forward till date and the TCP’s question on the financial aspects has put the ball in the court of the Civic body.
Residents of Aquem had been demanding acquisition of the Costa grounds for the recreational needs of the local populace, vehemently opposing a construction project mooted by a city-based builder.
The agitation in support of Costa grounds had started in 2011 after the Margao Civic body cleared the construction file within days. This created uproar in the Civic body with the City Fathers resolving to revoke the construction license granted for the project, prompting the builder to knock the doors of the Judiciary against the Municipal decision.
