Who’s responsible for sabotaging the Margao Municipal Council proposal to acquire land behind the Power House, Aquem for a satellite market? This question is often asked in the corridors of the Margao Municipal Council as to why the site finalised by the Council for acquisition of land is today playing host to a huge real estate project?
The mystery behind the abrupt stoppage of the land acquisition process will come to haunt the civic body and the local politicos for a long, long time to come. No one had then imagined that the site shortlisted for the satellite market behind the Power House would one day play host to a commercial project. It was around a decade ago that the Margao Municipal Council had initiated the process to acquire land for the satellite market behind the Power House.
Hopes were raised in the civic body that the commercial capital would soon have its first satellite market when Councillor Damu Naik, representing the Aquem area, initiated the resolution in support of a market. Civic officials in the know said the satellite market behind the Power House would have served twin purposes – serving the people of Aquem and also the neighbouring villagers of Davorlim.
Former Fatorda MLA and BJP leader Damu Naik recalled that he had repeatedly raised the issue of the land short listed for the satellite markets marked on the town’s Outline Development Plan. “My suggestions were ignored by those who were then ruling the roost in the SGDPA. Today, a huge commercial project is coming up on the very land once identified for a satellite market behind the Power House”, Damu said.
