the goan I network
MARGAO
The heritage area around the picturesque Monte Hill “ which plays host to the last vestige of green cover in the city “ has come under strain again and at a time when the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) has set in motion the process to prepare a new Outline Development Plan (ODP) for Margao.
A year after a city-based builder cleared trees and vegetation and secured his property with a compound wall all-round the sloppy land, the same builder is believed
to be behind the act of clearing vegetation and shrubs from the plot, apparently to secure his property with a laterite wall.
A day after The Goan highlighted how vegetation has disappeared from a plot of land, around the turn, at the far end of the TB Sanatorium, Margao Municipal ward councillor Glen Andrade informed that the same builder, who had built a wall last year is behind the act of clearing vegetation from the plot of land.
“After my inquiries revealed that it was the same builder, who had built the compound wall in his property last year is behind clearing the vegetation, I called up the builder, who has confirmed that he has cleared up his land in order to build a compound wall,” Andrade said.
The ward councillor wondered whether Monte Hill will continue to enjoy the heritage status if all the property owners build compound walls, saying the very purpose of declaring the entire area along the road from the Chapel to the far end of T B Sanatorium, will be defeated if compound walls are erected by clearing the vegetation.
Andrade has disclosed plans to take up the matter with TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai to save the Monte Hill green cover and the heritage area from laterite compound walls.
While the owners of land are permitted under the TCP Act to secure their land in no development zones with compound walls, questions are being raised amongst heritage lovers whether the strip of land adjoining the Chapel-TB Sanatorium road will qualify for a heritage zone in the event land owners build compound walls all along the stretch.
Builder cleared land of vegetation to build compound wall: SGPDA
MARGAO: Confirming that a city builder has cleared up the area of vegetation, South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) Member Secretary Ashok Kumar said the city builder has informed that he has cleared the land of the vegetation to build a compound wall and to plant fruit bearing trees.
The SGPDA Member Secretary, however, told The Goan that no development can be taken up on the sloppy land since it falls under the no development zone. “I have confirmed that the vegetation has been cleared by the builder, who owns the plot, to build the compound wall. The builder has also told me that he intends to plant fruit bearing trees on the land,” he added.
Ashok Kumar had no answer when pointed out that the picturesque area will lose its heritage value once the area is secured by compound walls by the private land owners, other than saying that the land in question belongs to the private parties.
He, however, said the SGPDA has taken a policy decision to retain the heritage character of the area by retaining the no development zone status.
