Team Herald
VASCO: Chicalim villagers on Thursday unanimously rejected the draft ODP 2030 presented by Mormugao Planning and Development Authority’s (MPDA) member secretary Ashok Kumar. The meeting called by the Chicalim sarpanch to discuss the new Draft ODP 2030 witnessed a massive attendance of locals.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
In a press note, Cyril Fernandes, an activist from Chicalim, said, “Member Secretary Ashok Kumar and his senior officials at the meeting were quizzed on various aspects by the villagers for the multiple errors in the draft ODP. The member secretary had to admit to the errors and assured the locals to rectify the same before finalising the draft.”
Sarpanch Sebastiao Pereira and secretary Kapil D Naik were also present. Hundreds of villagers from Chicalim, Dabolim and St Jacinto Island objected to the said draft ODP 2030.
In a detailed PowerPoint presentation on draft ODP 2030, Cyril exposed the glaring mistakes, wrong markings, skipping of sensitive information and violation of various existing Central and State laws.
Capt Viriato Fernandes questioned the need for drafting ODP 2030 in 2021 when the existing plan 2026 is not yet implemented.
He alleged that the entire exercise smacked of a sinister plot in view of the upcoming Assembly elections. Opposing the draft Plan 2030, Capt Viriato demanded that the entire exercise be abandoned and started in 2025 or 2026.
He warned that Goans would not take it lightly if the MPDA goes ahead with this exercise and threatened to file a criminal case against the authority’s officials including the member secretary.
