Groups of villagers under the banner of ‘Goenkar Against PDAs’ (GAP) has given one week to the Government to de-notify all villages from the PDAs (Planning and Development Authorities).
GAP held a peaceful protest at Azad Maidan in Panjim on Friday protesting against the rising numbers of PDAs in the State of Goa. The protest was participated by villagers across North Goa. Majority of the crowd was seen from Saligao, Candolim, Calangute, Parra and Nagoa villages.
Besides these villages, a sizable number of villagers participated from St Cruz, St Andre, and Mapusa constituencies.
GAP has demanded to de-notify PDAs from all villages, amend the Town and Country Planning Act. The protesters also demanded to give constitutional power to villagers in the process of planning and scrapping Regional Plan 2021.
“We are giving one week’s time to Government to de-notify the PDA from all villages. We will wait till one week to see the action and further course of action will be decided later”, said Arturo D’Souza, GAP Convener.
Addressing the gathering, environmentalist Claude Alvares said that the entire TCP Act should be scrapped as it is not in the interest of the villagers and to save the nature of the State. He said that the entire mess has been witnessed only after TCP came into existence in 1974.
“All developmental proposals should be placed before the gram sabhas, be it a building or a factory. The act needs to incorporate the 73rd and 74th amendments to give the power to the people. At present, TCP is ruling illegally over us”, he said.
Activist, Prof Prajal Sakhardande said “that beautiful Taleigao is already destroyed and Kadamba plateau is on its way, due to PDAs in the force.”
Fr Britto from Azossim appealed to all the villagers to fight for the cause to scrap all the PDAs from the villages stating it is a destruction of the villages.
Victoria Fernandes, former MLA of St Cruz, said that present MLAs have fooled the people of St Cruz and St Andre by only resigning from the GPPDA.
“We should think of a future, our future generation. I appeal to all the villagers to unite and fight against the PDAs”, she said.
Fr Savio D’Souza of Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP) said, “TCP Act should be scrapped and the Act be amended in order to give powers to the people in the planning process”.
Sabina Martins of Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) demanded one plan for one Goa.
