VASCO
Hundreds of residents in Chicalim were left disappointed over the absence of Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA) officials at a meeting scheduled by the Chicalim panchayat on Monday.
The officials failed to turn up at the meeting which was planned and organised at the behest of the local panchayat to explain the features of the new draft Vasco Area Outline Development Plan (ODP).
Chicalim Sarpanch Seby Pereira had written to the MPDA member secretary, seeking the deputation of their experts to explain the new draft ODP for Vasco Planning Area, which has Chicalim Panchayat areas under its jurisdiction.
Speaking to reporters, Pereira said the member secretary had agreed to the request and offered to depute their experts at the panchayat premises on Monday at 11 am.
"Accordingly, public announcements were made at the local churches and temples about the meeting and in response, a large number of villagers arrived at the Panchayat.”
“However, it was later disclosed late Saturday evening that the MPDA expressed its inability to depute their experts citing the reason as 'unavoidable circumstances'.”
“Since this communication reached the panchayat very late on Saturday, the same did not reach the villagers. The local villagers expressed their anger against the MPDA for playing truant and wasting their time," said Pereira.
Pereira said the gathered villagers have requested him to write to the MPDA seeking a fresh date for the meeting.
"They have warned that if MPDA officials do not come to the panchayat to explain to the villagers about the draft plan, the entire village will march to the MPDA office in Vasco and gherao the member secretary.”
“The villagers also requested me to write to the MPDA and seek an extension of the last date in view of today's fiasco. They demanded that the entire new draft ODP be placed at the forthcoming Gram Sabha next month.”
“The people then asked a villager, Capt Viriato Fernandes, to explain the observations made in the new draft and a PowerPoint presentation was also presented to the villagers," said Pereira.
Pereira said the villagers will await the response from the MPDA to the fresh request made by him for a new date to interact with MPDA experts at the earliest.
