PANJIM: The North Goa Principal District Court, Panjim, quashed and set aside the Outline development Plan (ODP) for the Taleigao Planning Area to the extent that it affects the property bearing survey nos. 183/1, 184/3 and 184/17 of the village.
Vito Guilherme Gomes of Caranzalem had filed an appeal under Section 38 of Town and Country Planning Act, 1974, praying to quash and set aside the ODP for Taleigao Planning Area to the extent it affects his paddy fields under survey nos. 183/1, 184/3 and 184/17 of Village Taleigao.
On January 17, 2019, Gomes had filed his objections with the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA), to the draft ODP-2028 of Taleigao Planning Area. He stated that he was the owner of the low lying paddy fields designed as an agricultural zone, through which roads were proposed in the draft ODP-2028 of Taleigao Planning Area.
The proposed ODP road was passing through the field where the ‘Harvest Feast’ was celebrated for generations — for more than 200 years.
By going ahead with the proposed road it would destroy the rich heritage, history and culture that was so far preserved and passed to generations after generation. The Harvest field was situated by the side of the appellant’s field bearing survey No. 184/3.
Gomes argued that no proper studies had been carried out by the NGPDA and coordination between the planning authorities and the Directorate of Agriculture was missing.
He said that the proposed road shown through his field will adversely affect his fields and further affect the proper irrigation and flow of ground water through the field once the road was constructed.
In reply, the NGPDA in its affidavit stated that it had followed and complied with all the requirements as stipulated in the TCP Act and that the ODP had received all the necessary approvals. It stated that after objections for the proposed 10-metre wide road passing through the three survey numbers, the appellant appeared for hearing before the sub-committee.
It said that the proposed road passing through the fields where the Harvest Feast was celebrated had been deleted in the final ODP-2028 of Taleigao planning area by re-organising the road pattern in the final ODP. Therefore, the said road of 10-metre width will serve as a traditional heritage road leading to the special paddy field.
