PANJIM: Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) challenging the discriminatory Outline Development Plan (ODP) for Panjim has filed an appeal with the District Court in the interest of the public with an attempt to uphold true participatory systems of planning.
Addressing the media, GBA Convener Sabina Martins said, “We have assisted in filing the appeal with the District Court through the Goa Heritage Action Group (GHAG), which has the same interest in protecting Goan heritage”
“The hurried manner in which the ODP was notified just before the election code of conduct reflects a brazen attempt to favour a few at the cost of the public. Disregard for methods and systems unfortunately has become a habit with the government as far as land use is concerned, something with drastic far reaching consequences that the general public will realise only too late,” Martins said.
Martins further said that none of the major stakeholders, conservation committees nor safety and fire departments had been taken into consideration while going ahead with the ODP and even the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) had not agreed to it.
“Our group is doing this to protect interests of public and we are just asking for a stay on this plan, as it has already been notified and the decision to implement can be taken anytime even in the code of conduct period,” she said.
She also said that the government has defied numerous key issues which the government itself is answerable to the public.
“There is absence of vision and studies and in total contradiction of policies adopted for the ODP 2011, random insertion of high density zones on singular plots as small as 500 sqm with no studies on congestion and carrying capacities of infrastructure, arbitrary reduction of recreational zones and heritage precincts,” she said
She added that the committee passed the plan within three days of its last day of receipt of public objections and suggestions, which is a very short time for feedback.
