Congress grounded; Mopa Bill takes off

CONGRESS-SPONSORED
MOTION DEFEATED
1)
The Congress first sought a division at the time of voting on the motion to refer the Bill to a select committee at the consideration stage itself and again at the time of passing the bill.
2)
However, on both occasions the motions were defeated by an identical margin of 14 against 19 in favour of the ruling coalition government.
3)
NCP MLA Churchill Alemao, who had voted with the government on the TCP amendment to incorporate TDR, chose to remain neutral this time and abstained.
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AUTHORITY'S JURISDICTION
As per the Bill ...
>> Over five panchayats of Mopa- Tamboxem-Ugem, Varconda-Nagzar, Cansarvornem, Chandel-Hasapur and Casne-Amberem-Pororscodem in Pernem taluka
>> The purpose, according to the objects mentioned in the Bill, is to ensure a single window mechanism for granting permissions and approvals for development of infrastructure facilities
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OPPN OUTCRY >>
BABU KAVLEKAR
* The Bill has given sweeping powers to the authority while ignoring lower courts and only leaving an option to approach the High Court
REGINALDO LOURENCO
Certain clauses in the bill over-ride powers of all other departments including the TCP
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MAPUSA: The State Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed The Goa (Mopa Airport Development Authority) Bill, 2018 for creation of a new planning and development authority for the proposed greenfield airport at Mopa in Pernem but not before the Opposition Congress-sponsored motion to refer it to a select committee was defeated.
The Congress first sought a division at the time of voting on the motion to refer the Bill to a select committee at the consideration stage itself and again at the time of passing the bill.
However, on both occasions the motions were defeated by an identical margin of 14 against 19 in favour of the ruling coalition government.
The lone NCP MLA, Churchill Alemao, who had voted with the government on the TCP amendment to incorporate transferrable development rights (TDR), chose to remain neutral this time and abstained.
As soon as the Bill was moved in the House by the Chief Minister, the Leader of Opposition, Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavlekar moved the motion to refer the Bill to a Select Committee.
“The Bill has given sweeping powers to the authority while ignoring lower courts and only leaving an option to approach the High Court,” Kavlekar said.
Curtorim MLA, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco argued that certain clauses in the bill over-ride powers of all other departments including the TCP, while Navelim MLA, Luizinho Faleiro called it "draconian" in nature.
“It is extra-judicial and gives super-ceding powers to the authority. I feel such a draconian bill should be discussed in a select committee. It supercedes all departments. It has sweeping powers. Tomorrow somebody can misuse these powers,” Faleiro said.
The Authority will have jurisdiction over five panchayats of Mopa-Tamboxem-Ugem, Varconda-Nagzar, Cansarvornem, Chandel-Hasapur and Casne-Amberem-Pororscodem in Pernem taluka.
The purpose, according to the objects mentioned in the Bill, is to ensure a single window mechanism for granting permissions and approvals for development of infrastructure facilities for the greenfield airport.
Trying to allay the fears expressed by the members, Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar said that the power of the authority will be restricted within the Mopa airport only.
He said the idea to create the authority was to hasten work on the Greenfield Mopa airport.
“All permissions will be within the Mopa airport area, not outside it. The six panchayats surrounding the airport can create problems and we need to expedite the project,” Parrikar said.
He said many times people go to civil courts on trivial issues and manage to bring a stay.
An unconvinced Congress however stuck to their guns and insisted that their motion seeking that the Bill be referred to a select committee be put to vote. When the Speaker Pramod Sawant did, the Congress members asked for division but lost by the 19-14 margin.Fourteen Congress MLAs stood for the motion while 19 of the treasury benches stood against it.
Three other bills “ The Goa Land Revenue Code (amendment) Bill, 2018, The Goa Regularisation of Unauthorized Construction (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and The Goa requisition and acquisition of property Bill, 2017 “ moved by Revenue Minister, Rohan Khuante were passed by the Legislative Assembly after a short discussion.