the goan I network
MARGAO
“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.
