Team Herald
MARGAO: The South Goa Planning and Development Authority at the meeting held on Tuesday, decided to consult the Goa State Urban Development Authority (GSUDA) in order to mark the land acquired for truck terminus as community farming zone in the re-drafted Outline Development Plan (ODP) of Margao.
The land which has been acquired by the GSUDA for the proposed truck terminus is lying idle at Madel, Margao without any initiative for the last 18 years. There are demands from the farmers to return the land for cultivation.
It may be recalled that the government had acquired nearly 1.37 lakh square metres of agricultural land at Madel, Margao, near the wholesale fish market in 2003 for the purpose of a truck terminus. However, over the past 18 years, the government has failed to utilise the said land.
Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat and Fatorda MLA also attended Tuesday’s meeting and deliberated on the above issue.
The Fatorda MLA stated that the land acquired for the truck terminus should be marked as community farming zone in the re-drafted ODP of Margao.
“Farmers have witnessed cultivating the land for several years and in order to give a boost to the farming activity, and land lying vacant for many years, it should be marked as community farming zone,” he said.
SGPDA Chairmen and Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa said that they will take an opinion from the GSUDA in order to mark the land acquired for truck terminus, lying vacant as the community farming zone in the re-drafted ODP of Margao.
“Yes, there was a suggestion from the Fatorda MLA that the said land should be marked as community farming zone. However, the land belongs to GSUDA, and hence decided to take their opinion before doing the exercise of marking”, said the Nuvem MLA.
There are also demands from the concerned farmers urging the government to give the land back for cultivation. Farmers have also decided to write to the SGPDA to change the zone and mark the land as agricultural zone.
According to sources, the SGUDA failed to utilise the land for the purpose of truck terminus due to no serious efforts, besides there was strong objection from the farmers for the proposed project. Farmers have a question to ask: why only agricultural land being acquired for the government projects?
