MARGAO
With the High Court forcing a postponement in SGPDA meeting scheduled on Friday to approve the controversial Margao ODP, PDA Chairman Mauvin Godinho has said that since the court has now intervened in the matter, he is in no hurry to pass the Outline Development Plan.
“Heavens will not fall if the election code of conduct comes into force before the next date of court hearing. I was never in any hurry before nor I am in any hurry now to pass the ODP," Mauvin told The Goan after the High Court stayed the meeting of the SGPDA scheduled on Friday.
When his attention was drawn to the court order, stating that there’s no evidence to show that the PDA had initiated the consultation process with the MMC before finalising the plan, Mauvin said the PDA did consult the MMC by having a meeting with the civic officials, but the PDA could not prove the meeting because of a clerical goof up.
Replying to another question, he said the ODP will be approved after the election process is over, exuding confidence that the BJP will return to power after the election. “Last time round too, there was a hue and cry, but the people of Margao were given a good ODP taking into account the needs of the city. I am confident that we will be in a position to give a good ODP this time round for the people after the election," he said.
The PDA had convened the meeting on Friday, anticipating that the High Court would dismiss the petition filed by United Goans Foundation, and allow the Authority to discuss and pass the controversial ODP.
Meanwhile, commenting on the High Court order, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said the court order has comprehensively nailed the PDA on the question of not consulting the MMC during the finalisation of the ODP. “Let the SGPDA chairman say that he would pass the ODP after the BJP returns to power after the election," Sardesai said, but pointed out that the High Court order has exposed the PDA chairman that he was rushing in great haste to approve the PDA without consulting the local civic body.
Margao MLA and PDA member, Digambar Kamat has hailed the High Court order stalling PDA’s meeting scheduled on Friday. “The High Court has observed that there’s no evidence that the PDA had consulted the local municipal body. This has vindicated our stand that the PDA was rushing with the ODP without consulting the MMC," Kamat said, while asserting that this observation of the High Court is a valid ground to stall all the ODPs approved by the government earlier this week.
This is the fifth time in the current month that the PDA had called for a meeting to discuss and approve the ODP, but the meetings had to be adjourned every time, either because of protests by the citizens or due to intervention by the courts.
No consultation between SGPDA, MMC on ODP: Court
PANAJI: Failing to prove that they had consulted with the Margao Municipal Council before seeking to finalise the Margao Outline Development Plan has cost the South Goa Planning and Development Authority in hearings before the High Court.
The judge M S Sonak hearing the case observed that “prima facie there was no consultation between the SGPDA and the MMC at the state of preparation of the revised Draft Development Plan” and that the material they had placed on record “could hardly constitute evidence of any meaningful or effective consultation".
“There is no point in permitting the SGPDA to proceed any further on this issue. In any case, serious issues have been raised in the petition and it is not as if some public project would be delayed or postponed in case the limited interim relief as prayed for is granted until the matter can be heard by the Division bench upon the reopening,” the vacation bench of Justice M S Sonak ruled.
“Until further orders the SGPDA is restrained from taking up the issue of revised ODP in its meeting scheduled for December 30,” Justice Sonak said.
