PANJIM: As a Town and Country Planning (TCP) board meeting is scheduled on September 3, villagers of Calangute, Candolim have demanded that the meeting resolve to de-notify the outline development plan (ODP) of their villages and to draft a new plan with people’s participation.
The villagers under the banner Candolim Residents and Consumer Forum (CRCF) on Saturday held a media interaction in Panjim, wherein they pointed out that the High Court of Bombay at Goa, where the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the ODP is pending, has also passed strictures against the planning process initiated by flouting rules and regulations set under the TCP Act. The final hearing in the PIL will take place this month.
CRCF member Roshan Mathias said they call upon TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, who is also chairman of the board, to resolve to de-notify the Calangute-Candolim PDA during its meeting schedule on September 3. “If the Minister is committed to Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarpon, then we request him to de-notify the plan in the interest of Goenkars,” he stated.
Mathias recalled that despite initial opposition to bringing the villages the under planning and development areas (PDAs), the villagers supported the cause after local MLA and chairman of North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) Michael Lobo assured them that the PDAs and subsequent ODP is the only way out to regularise the illegal structures built by the locals within the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) areas.
“However, later we realised that the MLA has fooled us, and that resulted into agitations and protest by us. If government does not pay heed to our demand than we will be forced to take to the streets in a big way,” he said
Recently an awareness rally in Calangute was organized by villagers of Calangute, Candolim, Apora, Nagoa protesting the PDA, ODP and draft CRZ 2018.
CRCF member Regina Fernandes said that the villagers so far have written 40 letters seeking an appointment with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, TCP Minister, Chief Secretary and party presidents of all the political outfits but none have entertained them so far. “Forget about appointment, none have responded to our letters,” she said.
She said that the September 3 meeting is the last hope of the people and that they are confident that Minister will listen to their grievance and act in public interest.
