Photo caption:
MMC councillors on their feet to raise their objections to the Margao ODP at the meeting on Tuesday. Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Amidst a lone objection from BJP-backed councillor Rupesh Mahatme, who is a member of the SGPDA, the Margao Municipal Council on Tuesday threatened to block all construction projects if the PDA bulldozes its way and gives its stamp of approval to the controversial Margao ODP.
The special meeting chaired by Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai further resolved to seek one month’s time to submit its objections and suggestions to the ODP.
“If the SGPDA does not accept our request to grant the civic body one month’s time to file the suggestions, the Council resolves not to grant licenses to construction plans submitted by the PDA to the civic body based on the approved PDA," the resolution stated.
The meeting generated much heated discussions and uproar when BJP-backed councillor Rupesh Mahatme sought to question the chairperson how she can preside over the deliberations when her husband is a co-opted member of the PDA sub-committee. The uproar continues when Rupesh again demanded to know whether vice-chairperson Doris Texeira can preside over the meeting when he alleged that her plots have been converted in the ODP. In reply, Doris asserted that she is strongly opposed to the plan, drawing cheers from the ruling set of councillors, who demanded to know how an outsider heading the SGPDA is in a tearing hurry to pass the ODP.
The City Fathers made it clear that the SGPDA should link approval for the ODP to the election code of conduct, asserting that the plan should not be passed in haste.
Participating in the debate, councillor Clara Fernandes demanded to know how the controversial Truck Terminus, that was dropped by the GSUDA in the past, again finds mention in the ODP. She said people of Madel are strongly opposed to the Truck Terminus taking shape in their backyard.
Councillor Glen Andrade drew attention of the Council to the conversion of zone to commercial of a tenanted field at Old market, raising apprehensions that the proposal if approved will result in large scale flooding of the area.
Councillor Pooja Naik pointed out that the green zone is sought to be destroyed to make way for a concrete jungle, even as councillor Avinash Shirodkar demanded to know whether the SGPDA has approved the suggestion made by residents of Aquem to reserve a part of the Costa ground as a playground.
When the media later questioned Babita Prabhudesai whether the Council’s resolution blocking the approval of construction plans submitted by the PDA conforms to the provisions of the Goa Municipalities Act, she replied in the positive. “The council is empowered to block the construction plan submitted by the PDA based on the new ODP. We have asked the PDA to give the civic body one month’s time to submit the suggestions," she said, while threatening to execute the threat to block PDA plans.
Replying to a question, the chairperson wondered whether the ODP is being finalised just to convert zones from settlement to commercial without taking into account the future planning requirements of the city.
During the meeting, ruling councillors alleged that agents are on the prowl in the city, promising to change zones to commercial, demanding to know whether the PDA is out to make Margao a concrete jungle.
