MARGAO
The South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) has set in motion the process of formulating the Outline Development Plan (ODP) for Margao and Ponda by placing before the public the Land use Map and Register for suggestions and objections, even as TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai said the ODP will be finalise and notified by the government within 7 months.
The map and register, which is compiled by an agency, Turbo Sketch at a cost of Rs 4.5 lakh, will be placed in the public domain for suggestions and objections for a period of one month from Monday.
Addressing the media at the SGPDA office, the TCP Minister said this is perhaps the first time that the SGPDA has compiled with the mandatory provision in the TCP Act to prepare the land use map and register.
“This provision was never compiled with by the PDAs in the past. Since we are for ensuring transparency in the formulation of the ODP for Margao and Ponda, we have decided to start the process from the ground. This land use map and register is just the mirror of what is located on the ground”, he said.
When the media pointed out that many a land mark or zones may still be missing from the Land use map and register, Sardesai said this is one reason why the Land use map and register will be kept open for public scrutiny. Interestingly, the TCP Minister noticed that the land use map have shown the entire area surrounding his bungalow at the Davondem bandh as agriculture when the area is already into the settlement zone.
