Team Herald
VASCO: Breaking his silence on the current tussle over the Outline Development Plan for Margao and Ponda, South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) Chairman Mauvin Godinho on Friday claimed that local MLAs who have been opposing the ODP actually wanted to use him as rubber stamp to do what they wanted.
“Since I did not allow them to have their way, these MLAs have started playing politics over the passing of Margao and Ponda ODP,” Mauvin said.
Speaking to reporters in Vasco, Mauvin said, “Firstly, I want to clarify that there is no direction from court on the ODP. The High Court has only directed the SGPDA to postponed the hearing for ODP that was fixed on December 23 to some other date. Since we are not in any hurry in passing the ODP for Margao and Ponda, we readily agreed and have now fixed the next hearing on December 30.”
“The SGPDA is fully geared up to present its side of the dispute before the court on December 28, and those who don’t want planned development will present their side. Finally, it is left to the court to take decision. But the SGPDA will abide by any order passed by the court,” he said.
“If the court directs us not to hold the hearing on December 30, then we will not hold the hearing on that date,” he said.
