Team Herald
TCP minister Vijai Sardesai reacted with extreme disappointment at the demand of Goenkars Against PDA (GAP) to scrap the Town and Country Planning department itself, along with all PDAs
“The TCP Department which I head is based on the Town and Country Planning Act, which itself is sought to be scrapped. How can I comment on this?” Sardesai questioned.
He then went on to add “It’s like a candidate contesting elections demanding scrapping of the constitution. This is anarchy. There is no point in engaging further.
The Minister, as an Easter gift, had announced the withdrawal of ten villages from St Cruz and St Andre from the jurisdiction of GPPDA as demanded by the villagers. “Are these demands coming because I accepted the people’s demand for removal of the villages from the PDA very easily and without much ado?” the Minister asked further.
Sardesai wondered on what basis would the panchayats and the Councils govern themselves. “Have you heard of something like this in the entire country? And are panchayats and councils, the epitome of honesty and good governance? Their demand was to delink villages from The Greater Panjim PDA. Without any consultations, even with the Chief Minister or the Cabinet advisory Committee or delay, I dropped the villages, which was their demand. Where is the possibility of any discussion and engagement with such absurd demands?”
