MARGAO: Goyche Fudle Pilge Khatir (GFPK) has written to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department, seeking urgent attention to the objections they had raised regarding the Margao Outline Development Plan (ODP) 2031. The group claims that the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) has ignored their suggestions and failed to reply to their queries under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
GFPK submitted a letter to the TCP Department on October 19, expressing their dissatisfaction with the draft ODP 2031 for Margao. The letter stated that the group had previously raised objections to the plan on January 11, 2023, and had attended two hearings conducted by the SGPDA on March 10 and May 31, 2023, but did not receive any response from them. The group had also requested RTI information on June 9, 2023, but did not receive any reply.
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GFPK President Jack Mascarenhas said that their group’s objections were raised with the intention of ensuring that the development plan aligns with the best interests of the local community and the environment. They believe that ignoring these objections could lead to unforeseen consequences and potential disputes in the future.
GFPK further requested the TCP department to give urgent attention to this matter and look forward to a constructive discussion on the same at their earliest convenience.
It may be recalled that the Margao ODP 2031 has been facing criticism from various quarters, including civil society groups, activists, and politicians, who have alleged that it is anti-people, anti-environment, and pro-builder.
They have also accused the SGPDA of not following due process and transparency in preparing and notifying the plan.
GFPK had submitted 28 objections to the Margao draft ODP to the SGPDA, which were supported with maps and citations of gross irregularities.
GFPK had also suggested that a study-based sustainable development plan be formulated following the available national guidelines, starting with the formulation of a Land Use policy for the state.
One of their objections pointed out that the maps for the Margao draft ODP 2031, prepared by a private company, had major cartographic errors. “In the middle of the town, it shows roads with dead ends, railway tracks with disjointed tracks, and several other deficiencies. It is clear that the private company has no cartographic competence, and allowing such a company to prepare the Margao draft ODP 2031 is another major blunder. The four signatories to this plan either suffered from cartographic blindness and could not identify deficiencies in the plan,” said Mascarenhas. “The Margao ODP 2031 should be in sync with the conservation policy of heritage structures of Margao. It is noted that this draft ODP has done away with protection of heritage sites in Margao, instead of promoting and protecting them,” Mascarenhas stated further.
GFPK had also provided inputs on what areas should be included in the heritage list.
Among the other issues that GFPK had pointed out, they had lamented that survey/chalta numbers were omitted from the map, commercial zones were not differentiated properly, and that the River Sal tributary was deliberately made to look far smaller than what it is in reality or as compared to the Margao ODP 2016.
