VASCO: Environment Minister Alina Saldanha on Wednesday strongly criticized the move to include Sancoale in Vasco planning area.
She said, “It is surprising that this issue is being reopened on the specious argument that the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority is not generating sufficient income and hence its jurisdiction should be increased to include the villages of Sancoale and Issorcim.”
She continued, “As its name suggests, MPDA is supposed to be a planning authority. However, it appears to have converted into an authority whose sole job is to generate revenue by permitting/promoting builders to construct huge mega projects and providing them FAR/FSI in excess of that available under the TCP Act”
Saldanha alleged that the MPDA was acting at the behest of big builders and as an agent of vested interests and was not bothered about the genuine needs of the people. She added, “Sancoale, a village with one of the largest slums in Goa, suffers from inadequate water and electricity supply, a huge garbage problem, and narrow roads. Therefore, it cannot be saddled with the large number of mega projects proposed by builders.”
She claimed to be in total agreement with the hopes and aspirations of the people of Sancoale and Issorcim and said she would fight to ensure that the villages did not become part of MPDA again against their will.
