Team Herald
PANJIM: Calling it a half-hearted approach, Goenkars Against PDA (GAP) on Thursday demanded the removal of all villages from Planning Development Authorities and urged the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department for a gazetted notification on removal of villages from PDA.
TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai on Wednesday had resolved to drop villages covering Bambolim and Kadamba plateau from the jurisdiction of Greater Panjim Planning and Development Authority (GPPDA), which will now consist of only Taleigao planning and development area (PDA).
“We have heard that TCP Minister has made some statement spiced with emotions but we would like to say that it was a half-hearted approach to our demands. We had earlier stated that we want all villages to be removed from PDAs and implementation of the 73rd and 74th Amendments of the Constitution empowering people’s participation in the planning process,” said GAP Convenor Arthur D’souza said.
He added, “Now the TCP Minister has cunningly shifted the burden to the Assembly wherein he said that points of RP 2021 and implementation of the 73rd and 74th Amendments be taken up in the Assembly. This is an attempt to shift the burden.” He further said that they require a gazetted notification that the PDAs are being removed.
Another activist Roshan Mathias said they were ready to discuss their demands and issues with the TCP Minister amicably. “I have seven letters asking TCP that if they had not included our requests to de-notify the villages of Calangute and Candolim then include it in the agenda. The TCP Minister has ignored us and we are hurt. We warn him not to test our patience. As TCP Minister he has the power to scrap all PDAs,” Mathias said.
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Evidence is with TCP: Capt Viriato
Captain Viriato Fernandes, co-convenor of Goencho Avaaz said TCP has got all the documents on land conversion and that the department should investigate the 14 politicians who converted land. “What we have presented before people at Lohia Maidan were not allegations. We showed exact change of land use which is illegal from orchard to settlement, we showed survey numbers and Form I and XIV and these are proof. And all this evidence we got from TCP department so how can Vijai say that he wants proof,” Fernandes asked.
He also revealed that they had requested the Chief Town Planner to give an opportunity to their team and in return would show how to access data from TCP and other illegalities.
