MARGAO: The High Court on Thursday has restrained the South Goa Planning and Development Authority from convening a meeting to finalise the ODP. The meeting which was supposed to be held on December 30, will now be kept on hold.
United Goans Foundation, the petitioner, has meanwhile decided to make this a pan-Goa fight. The SGPDA has maintained that they have followed all the guidelines and rules as per Government directives. The matter will now be heard on of January 4.
While restraining the SGPDA from convening the meeting to approve the ODPs for Margao and Ponda, the High Court pointed out that, prima facie, there is hardly any evidence on record to show that consultation happened between SGPDA and MMC on ODP. Since, prima facie, there was no consultation between the SGPDA and MMC on preparing the revised draft development plan, there is no point in permitting the SGDPA to proceed with the issue, the HC said.
The HC has further said, “The so-called material placed on record in the form of a letter dated December 9, 2015 and minutes dated March 28, 2016 can hardly constitute evidence of any meaningful or effective consultation. In any case, serious issues have been raised in the petition and it is not as if some public project would be delayed or postponed in case the limited interim relief as prayed for is granted until the matter can be heard by the Division Bench upon the re-opening,” the HC said.
On the meeting, the HC said, “Until further orders, the SGPDA is restrained from taking up the issue of revised Outline Development Plan as proposed by it in its meeting scheduled for 30.12.2016.”
Petitioner Ashish Kamat said, “These are the efforts of the Counsel and the stand taken by the Municipal Council is also commendable as they did it for the people of Margao and Fatorda.”
“We will surely challenge all the ODPs of Goa which have not been done in accordance with the law,” Kamat said.
Meanwhile, the SGPDA Member Secretary Ashok Kumar said, “In consultation with the chairman of the SGPDA, it was decided to cancel the Authority meeting. The meeting was essentially for passage of the plan by the Authority which was later supposed to be sent to the Government and several other authorities for approvals.
Kumar also defended their process of ODP saying, “As far as Margao and Fatorda ODP is concerned, we have followed all the due process, directives and guidelines given by the government. I will go through the order of HC now.”
