Team Herald
PANJIM: It may surprise many, but Herald in its June 10, 2015 edition had cautioned that the opening of the Outline Development Plans (ODPs) shouldn’t be a backdoor entry for conversions. That is exactly what it is turning out into. Of the 510 suggestions and objections received for the Mapusa and Taleigao ODPs, only two applications seek conversion of land from institutional to agriculture.
The majority of applications consist of demands for additional floor area ratio (FAR) and conversion of land from agricultural to non-agricultural use.
Sources said there were 240 suggestions and objections for the Mapusa ODP and 270 for the Taleigao ODP. “As far as Taleigao is concerned almost all the applications have sought conversion of institutional, agricultural land into settlement. There are also applications that have asked for conversion into settlement I (additional FAR),” sources said.
The Taleigao BJP mandal has submitted an application seeking overall rectification of the plan, basically to rectify all the mistakes that exist in the ODP.
“A similar situation is in the case of Mapusa. However there are two applications, wherein the applicants have sought conversion of institutional land into agricultural land,” sources said.
North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) had kept both the plans open for revival in June. The plans had been drafted in 2008.
Meanwhile, the NGPDA constituted sub-committee for review of the Mapusa ODP chaired by NGPDA member Franky Carvalho has begun inspection of the sites. So far 40 applications have been cleared.
The sub-committee for Taleigao headed by Panjim MLA Siddharth Kunkolienkar will begin its site inspection from Tuesday.
