MARGAO
Demanding to know the “master” behind the controversial Margao Plan 2041 for Margao, former director of Urban Development Elvis Gomes on Saturday said the Margao Municipal Council and not the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) is the real master of the city responsible for planning and development of the city.
Reminding that he had headed the GSUDA as its member secretary during his stint in government service, the bureaucrat-turned-politician asserted that GSUDA is just a society, while a municipal council is created under the Constitution having statutory powers and duties.
Addressing the media, Elvis questioned, “Who is the master of the Master Plan and what is the Master Plan all about? Incumbent MLA Digambar Kamat has been the MLA of Margao for the last 25-30 years and went on to become the Chief Minister. He had the power to do such a Master Plan in the past. He cannot be the Master of the plan”.
Saying the Margao Municipal Council is the authority to prepare a Master Plan for the city by setting in process the plans in all the 25 wards, Elvis said the councillors should play their due role in giving their suggestions. “If required, the councillors should be provided guidance to prepare a checklist of footpaths, sewage, water supply, parks and gardens, pedestrian ways etc. Otherwise, there is no use of the master plans since we have the regional Plan and the ODPs,” he said while questioning the need for a master plan.
Saying the Margao Municipality should first take the responsibility to prepare the Master Plan, Elvis has questioned GSUDA for preparing a Master Plan for the Margao Municipal Council. “GSUDA is just a society, while the municipality is a statutory authority,” he said, fearing chaos in the commercial capital if GSUDA takes over the responsibility of preparing a Master plan for the city.
He added: “There are vested interests behind the plan. They want to exploit the situation by projecting an increase in population just for the sake of making money,” he said, adding that the master plan will have no meaning for the city unless the common man is taken on board during the preparation of the plan.
Reminding that Margao is not just a constituency but the headquarters of the entire South Goa district, Elvis cautioned that the government should take everyone on board, including the city professionals, educationists, architects, Councillors and the common man. Saying he is not against the Master Plan or the builders' lobby, he demanded to know whom will the master plan serve if the common man is not involved in the planning process.
