Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardessai’s loud thinking with regard to splitting the Margao Municipal Council to have a separate Fatorda Municipal Council has had a ripple effect with the issue being discussed heatedly by people in the commercial capital of Goa.
Former chief minister and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat nailed the issue by saying that the government has to examine its feasibility. “Having a council is one thing but whether it will be feasible or not has to be examined by the government,” said the long-serving MLA of Margao.
Vijai Sardessai on the other hand said that going by the strong reaction to his mere thought maybe it is time he really considers moving for a separate council.
“Fatorda can be a unique town truly representing the diverse aspects and culture of Goa and thereby being a true representative of Goenkarponn,” he said pointing the things that Fatorda has which cannot be found in Margao.
Fatorda has a ST population which is not found in Margao; Fatorda has a ruro-urban environment as people are still involved in agriculture there which is not found in Margao and all these can provide a sustainable development of the town, he said.
Besides, he said Margao has become saturated and instead of expansionism he was proposing diversification to give better facilities. He stoutly rejected the proposal of a Corporation and pointed out that none of the neighbouring villages like Navelim, Colva, Raia or San Jose de Areal want to be a part of the corporation.
“Margao Municipal Council has not done anything really speaking and is surviving on funds brought to it by the MLA,” he said adding that “what a council needs is good governance and the revenue will come automatically.”
He opined that Fatorda, as an independent council, has every likelihood of becoming a model town and added that it could be a true reflection of the Goan culture and ethos.
