PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday asked the Town and Country Planning Department how provisional permission can be granted without finalisation of the Outline Development Plan (ODP) that too when the plan is being prepared for the first time.
The HC was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Candolim residents challenging the Calangute-Candolim ODP 2025.
The advocate representing Candolim residents submitted in court that the draft was notified for objections in November 2016. After hearing objections the final plan was to be notified, but within 22 days of the draft, the Chief Town Planner wrote to the PDA (Planning Development Authority) that the draft has been put into operation. It was also submitted that based on the letter the PDA then gave provisional approvals to various persons.
The Court asked how such provisional permissions can be granted without finalisation since the ODP is being prepared for the first time. The CTP’s letter is also being challenged in the petition while the court asked an explanation on the letter from CTP.
The petitioners said that the letter was issued without deciding on objections and without issuing a notification.
The petitioners alleged that the NGPDA move is to facilitate certain individuals and to fool the people of Candolim and Calangute. The government had passed the order in December, just before the Assembly elections but it has not been notified till date, the petition claims.
