the goan I network
PANAJI
In a major boost to the residents of Calangute and Candolim opposing the controversial Outline Development Plan, the church-backed Center for Responsible Tourism (CRT) on Thursday joined the movement against the ODP slamming the government for going ahead with the Plan.
Addressing the press along with the Calangute Constituency Forum, Fr Maverick Fernandes on Thursday said “we are with the people of Calangute and Candolim and will oppose the ODP tooth and nail”.
He attacked the government for going ahead with the controversial plan without considering the feelings of the people.
President of CCF Premanand Diukar, who also addressed the press, strongly criticised the local MLA for forcing the ODP on the people. “ODP is prepared without any expert study and is being enforced by the local MLA who is also the NGPDA Chairman,” said Diukar.
This plan will affect the land, society and communities at large which is ushering in the basic necessity of water, roads and electricity, he alleged.
“Large areas of fields have been converted into settlement areas. Forest areas surrounding the villages have been bought by builders from North India, casino operators, etc and to facilitate their projects, a hasty ODP has been created,” he alleged.
He also alleged that the digging of roads for the JICA project has hit the business community in the coastal village.
Diukar pointed out that the Gram Sabha decision regarding the rejection of ODP has been reversed by panchayat bodies under the influence of local MLA alleging that elected representatives having close connections with the local MLA have been pursuing and pushing the agenda only for financial interest.
One of the petitioners against the ODP in the High Court, Damian Telles who is also the vice-president of the Forum said ODP has been approved by the TCP despite a court hearing still going on and that the legal battle against it will continue.
He raised strong apprehensions that once the ODP is approved, it will be used as a tool to demolish illegal structures that come in the way of the interest of the local representative.
Criticising the vision of the local MLA of having vertical development he said roads have been marked as 6, 8,10+ meters in the present ill-conceived ODP and the locals are already facing a crunch in terms of space within their own premises.
Anthony Cruz de Souza, General Secretary of the Forum questioned the local MLA on how many houses he had legalised under the current code of Revenue Department
With elections around the corner, the local MLA is indirectly inciting fear in the minds of people with illegal dwellings so that they come to him for help, he further alleged.
Benedict Dsouza, the Vice-President of the Forum and former Sarpanch of Parra said locals with houses along the roadside will lose a lot of land with the ODP coming into force and small Goan houses may be left only with a kitchen and toilet in the near future.
