Team Herald
MAPUSA: The Parra villagers strongly opposed brining their village under North Goa Planning Development Authority (NGPDA), during a special gram sabha held on Sunday.
However, local MLA and NGPDA Chairman Michael lobo tried his best to convince the people by enumerating the advantages of Parra being included into PDA.
Since the gram sabha was convened to explain to the people the benefits of including Parra into PDA, the NGPDA member secretary Pandita along with Lobo were present at the meeting.
And when the locals complained to the NGPDA authorities about the mushrooming of illegal constructions in Parra and pointed out to the illegal construction by Lamanis coming up in the fields on an area of 4000 square metres, Lobo said that all illegal houses would be regularised.
“ODP will be drafted and finalised even if the people oppose it. If people want to cancel it then they would have to go to the government and get it cancelled,” he said.
Member secretary Pandita said all the existing houses will be marked on ODP. PDA has power to regularise illegal structures and demolish illegal compound wall or illegal structures coming in way of road widening.
Former Sarpanch Benedict D’Souza said, when a city like Vasco had discarded ODP why Calangute MLA was so interested in adding Parra in PDA. “Whether our compound walls are going to be demolished or not is unimportant, because under PDA removal of compound does not require permission of the owner,” he observed.
“If Parra is included in PDA then many big buildings will come up and outsiders will settle in here. What is the real reason to include scenic village into urban planning,” he questioned, adding that there has to be some motive behind this inclusion which the PDA authorities don’t want people to know. “Fields are being filled with mud with the aim of getting them regularised through PDA. Locals don’t want inclusion of Parra into PDA but only the Panchayat and MLA want it,” he added.
Lobo said the plan including Parra in PDA is already approved and if people want they can approach the government and take their help to exclude Parra from PDA.
The Calangute MLA added that 60 per cent FAR will be maintained and all illegal houses will be marked on the ODP which will be regularised. All MDR roads which are shown as 25 meters and 15 meters will be reduced to 15 meter and 9 meter width to save houses and business establishment along the road.
He said no construction would be done on hills but construction would be allowed in the fields for community purpose if the comunidade of Parra gives permission.
A local who questioned the move asked, “If the local panchayat can issue house numbers then why we need PDA to regularise houses?”
However, Sarpanch Delailah Lobo concluded the meeting when people began asking several questions and asked the MLA to give assurance in writing.
