the goan I network
VASCO
Expressing shock, dismay and anger at the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA) over revision of Land Use Plan (LUP) and Land Use Register (LUR) without incorporating changes sought by villagers, the Chicalim Villagers action Commitee (CVAC) has decided to take legal action against the MPDA and its member secretary.
Addressing a news conference in Vasco on Thursday morning, CVAC members said the MPDA had rejected their proposed revision of the LUP and LUR without assigning any reasons, despite initially agreeing to incorporate the plan proposed by the villagers.
“In July 2019, the MPDA had sought suggestions and objections to the draft LUP and LUR which the MPDA had sent to the Chicalim Panchayat for approval and adoption,” said CVAC member Cyril Fernandes.
“During the gram sabha convened to discuss the LUP and LUR, villagers observed glaring errors in the plan and claimed the entire LUP and MUR prepared by the MPDA was in clear violation of Section 26 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1974.”
“In addition, there was no sufficient time given to study the LUP and LUR. The gram sabha outright rejected the MPDA plans and further resolved to prepare its own LUP and LUR as per Section 26 of the Town and Country Planning Act,” said Fernandes.
CVAC Member Edwin Mascarenhas said data for preparation of the LUP by MPDA was not collected as prescribed u/s 26, Rule 10 showing the Main Groups and Sub-Groups.
“The LUR was not prepared as per FORM “A (Rule 10 (2), hence most of the columns in the register were blank and information was insufficient. The colours used to mark various zones/signatures/categories of land did not match with colours represented in the legend. Besides, existing water bodies, sluice gates, window pane oyster breeding zones (Eco-Sensitive), nesting grounds of birds, heritage structures (Megalithic caves etc) and khazan lands were not identified or were wrongly shown as Industrial Zone.The location of utilities such as underground water pipelines, sewage lines, optical fibre cables, etc. were not mapped,” said Mascarenhas.
CVAC member Pratap Mardolkar said villagers had rectified these anomalies after painstakingly verifying each and every pocket of the village as per the given survey numbers. “They themselves prepared the LUP and LUR for Chicalim and Dabolim and handed them over to the MPDA for adoption for the Outline Development Plan for Mormugao.”
“MPDA Member Secretary Vertika Dagur appreciated the efforts by villagers and promised that their suggestions would be incorporated in the revised LUP and LUR.”
“But in a strange U-turn, the MPDA went ahead and announced the revision of LUP and LUR without incorporating changes sought by villagers and rejecting the proposal submitted by villagers,” said Mardolkar.
