Team Herald
Margao: The tug-of-war and the subsequent delay in the formation of the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) has deprived several people from occupying their houses. Several developers have been forced to rent out houses for the people who have bought flats because of delay in giving a completion certificate to the buildings from the SGPDA.
Most of the people who buy new flats and houses intend to occupy their new houses in the month of May before the schools reopen. However since the SGPDA Authority has not been formed none of the buildings have got their completion certificates. Hundreds of files now wait for the ascent of the SGPDA for further process.
A woman who is a resident of Australia came to Goa to shift her mother from her old house to a new place in Margao. However after no success in getting occupancy she flew back after waiting for a month and a half and will return next year. Yet another person has been forced to rent a house in Cuncolim and will have to travel to Margao every day to take his children to school.
The NGPDA and SGPDA were dissolved in early February and it has been almost 5 months and every file at the SGPDA has been held up for completion.
When asked about the situation, developers in Margao said they wanted to maintain anonymity due to the harassment they faced after speaking on this issue. “The Member Secretary is empowered to clear these technical completion certificates but is not being given the power for reasons best known to them” said a developer from Margao.
“The Technical head Member secretary is qualified enough to the get these files passed but is not being allowed,” said the developer.
Developers also said that the PDAs are mostly catering to towns and has no relevance to the Panchayat Elections delaying the formation of the authority.
The TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai has already staked open claim on the SGPDA and has now become an issue because of Milind Naik too wanting to get the seat. This has resulted in delay and the public is suffering.
People waiting for their flats and houses have demanded that the Government steps in and saves them from their hardships and financial burden immediately.
