MARGAO: The South Goa Planning and Development Agency (SGPDA) approved the draft Outline Development Plan (ODP) for Margao and Ponda in its meeting on Wednesday.
The plan will be sent to the Government for approval after which it will be put forth before the public for objections. Most of the changes in the draft ODP are with regards to deletion and addition of roads and structures. The changes are based on the land use map that is come into force.
The draft ODP prepared by the SGPDA has no new zone changes. According to sources, zone changes will be done only after objections have been received from the public.
In 2016, the SGPDA had conducted a similar exercise which received public criticism since it denied the public the opportunity to scrutinise zone changes. According to the TCP Act, only objections can be received for a change of zones shown in the draft ODP. There is no provision in the Act for accepting suggestions to change zones in the draft ODP.
Meanwhile, the SGPDA has decided to issue a general No Objection Certificate (NOC) to all wholesale fish traders, raponnkars, etc to trade in the wholesale fish market. SGPDA Member Secretary, Ashok Kumar informed that since the wholesale market is only an assembling centre, anyone can come there and do their business till 9 am.
He further informed that the SGPDA will not be issuing any NOC in the name of any of the wholesalers. “If the traders want to apply for a FDA licence, they will have to attach the general NOC issued by the SGPDA”, Kumar added.
