PANJIM, JUNE 26
The Town and Country Planning Department has completed the village panchayat-level plans of Pernem and Canacona talukas and the same are now before the State Level Committee (SLC) for finalisation.
Chief Town Planner Morad Ahmed said the two taluka plans, for which Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who is also the TCP minister, faced flak, were completed by applying government criteria for finalisation.
Ahmed said, “A final check is being carried out by the SLC. Once the final check is complete the plans will come before a SLC meeting and subsequently in the TCP board meeting. It will then go to the people and then the government for approval.”
Senior Town Planner T Puttaraju said the Pernem taluka plan was presented on May 12 to the SLC and the Canacona one was completed on June 19. He revealed even the Sattari taluka plan was ready for the SLC members to give it their final touch.
The senior town planner said after the Pernem and Canacona plans come before the board they will again be put before the people to check whether everything was done as per their inputs. However, he mentioned no suggestions and objections will be entertained and only genuine errors, if any, will be taken up.
Meanwhile, the Ponda taluka plan has been taken up for application of criteria for its finalization. Puttaraju said it will take more or less 20 days to complete the Ponda plan and give it to the SLC for their final touch.
The CM had assured the
members of Goa Bachao Abhiyan in the first week of March this year that the Regional Plan 2021 would be ready in the next six months. However, there is no firm assurance from those working towards getting the taluka plans ready whether the CM’s assurance will become a reality.
When questioned on when the RP will be ready, Puttaraju was non-committal.. He mentioned the department was on the job and was doing its best. We are looking at incorporating a huge surge of inputs and it’s no easy task, he mentioned.
