Team Herald
VASCO: The Chicalim Bio-Crusaders on Thursday welcomed the decision of suspending the Vasco Outline development Plan (ODP) 2030 with immediate effect for two months.
Speaking to media persons at St Jacinto Island, Chicalim Bio-Crusaders Convenor Cyril Fernandes said, “Rane has taken a wise decision to keep all ODPs including Vasco ODP suspended and to rectify the errors and manipulations involved in these ODPs.”
The villagers of Chicalim, Dabolim and St Jacinto Insland had been struggling with the planning authorities to correct the anomalies.
Fernandes further said that on Tuesday, a delegation of Chicalim Bio-Crusaders had met TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane at his residence and had submitted a memorandum to him, pointing out all the illegalities carried out by the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA).
“During our meeting, we with the help of power-point presentation pointed out various anomalies and blatant and deliberate violations carried out by the MPDA members without concern for laid down procedures, rules and the law,” Fernandes said.
Former Chicalim sarpanch Pratap Mardolkar said that the entire St Jacinto Island is private property and that the islanders had objection to the 10-metre road shown all over the island including in No Development Zones (NDZ) and had demanded its withdrawal. He demanded to know for whose benefit the road is planned when none of the local islanders demanded it?
Cynthia Miranda reiterated their demand that the entire Vasco ODP 2030 be scrapped and that a fresh scientific development plan be prepared by taking all stakeholders into confidence.
According to Fernandes, the Minister assured them that their memorandum and copy of the PPT would be placed in the TCP file and taken up for discussion. If needed, the TCP Department will seek their views.
