TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: A question on the Regional Plan snowballed into a major discussion between the Congress’s Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and a combative chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
Reginaldo wanted to know the timeframe within which the Regional Plan is going to be scrapped and recalled the promise made by Parrikar in the first Assembly Session after the elections. He also wanted to know the time frame within which the plan would be sent to the Gram Sabhas for comments; and whether the Government’s decision on old settlement areas that were changed to non-settlement areas in the RP 21 stands.
Reginaldo wanted to know the status of Parrikar’s assurance that he had apparently given to the House about the Regional Plan and accused the chief minister of going back on his word.
“I would like to know what assurance I have given?” the chief minister shot back. Refusing to admit anything, Parrikar challenged the Reginaldo to prove anything and said that “If any assurance is not kept MLA has to approach the Assurance Committee.”
After a heated exchange, Parrikar said: “We will fulfil all assurances within five years.” The argument persisted further with Reginaldo not backing down.
“I want to know whether he will put up the notified plan in the panchayats. I want to know this” and “when exactly do you plan on doing the plan? People are suffering. People are suffering…” Reginaldo thundered.
“What is the suffering? Nobody has told me anything. I have got only one letter from the GBA. They want the plan scrapped… Nobody is suffering. Only those who are builders are suffering. Nobody is suffering,” Parrikar shot back. “Those whose land is not converted want the plan opened up….” The chief minister was non-committal on any date saying: “I am not obligated to give date. I am refusing to give a date.”
Here Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane intervened saying that that at gram sabha level people would try and block constructions just out of spite, diffusing the tension and giving the chief minister some breathing space.
“If I don’t like your face, I will get five to 10 people to oppose the construction,” Rane said releasing the pressure valve.
After the break, a less combative chief minister said: “I have said that as soon as the mining issue is sorted, immediately the RP issue will be taken up. The mining issue will be sorted out by September – October” and “The regional plan is there. It is notified… We have restricted it,” Parrikar said.
