Decision to be approved at November 27 cabinet meeting
TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has promised to overrule objections raised by the Town Planning Secretary to the allotment of space for a place of worship in the SGPDA market complex and get the decision approved at the November 27 cabinet meeting after obtaining legal opinion.
In a bid to overcome all legal hurdles, the Chief Minister has suggested that the government would allot the space not for a “religious structure” but for a “prayer room” for all the communities. He has also accepted the request of the vendors for additional space in the garage for the proposed place of worship.
After a joint meeting chaired by the Chief Minister and attended by Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado, PDA Chairman MLA Rajan Naik, member Vijai Sardessai and a delegation of SGPDA market vendors, the Fatorda MLA informed that the TCP Secretary Parimal Rai raised a host of objections to the allotment of space for a religious structure in the SGPDA garage on grounds that the decision will set a bad precedent. The TCP secretary contended that the SGPDA market is a public place and any decision on allotting space for a religious structure would be in violation of the Supreme Court order. But the Chief Minister has promised to overrule the objections and get the space approved at the November 27 cabinet. “The Chief Minister has suggested that instead of being called a space for religious structure, the space will be called as a prayer hall. Parrikar has also agreed to the request of the vendors to allot them additional space in the PDA garage after carrying out the construction”,
he said.
PDA Chairman MLA Rajan Naik told Herald that though the TCP Secretary had raised some objections, the Chief Minister has cleared the decks for the allocation of space for the place of worship. “The Chief Minister has further agreed to allot two shops in the garage instead of one earlier decided. The PDA would construct the prayer hall after the matter is approved at the cabinet meeting scheduled on November 27”, Rajan said.
The meeting is also believed to have reviewed the host of problems plaguing the SGPDA market, including water supply. The Fisheries Minister informed that his department has agreed to take up renovation of the fish market by utilising funds from the national fisheries agency.
The TCP secretary contended that the SGPDA market is a public place and any decision on allotting space for a religious structure would be in violation of the Supreme Court order. But the Chief Minister has promised to overrule the objections and get the space approved at the November 27 cabinet
