the goan I network
MARGAO
With only 200-plus objections coming till date and the process set to end in 12-days-time, the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) has cautioned Madgavkars that objections filed by them in 2016 to the Outline Development Plan (ODP) for Margao no longer stands valid and citizens have to file fresh objections to the ODP by
February 6.
Last time round, the SGPDA had received 450-odd objections to the ODP during the tenure of then Chairman Mauvin Godinho before the controversial plan was scrapped following public outcry and directions from the High Court.
Given that the SGPDA has received only 200-plus objections to the ODP in the ongoing exercise of preparing the plan, SGPDA Member Secretary Ashok Kumar made a fervent plea to members of the public to lodge their objections, if any, to the plan within the scheduled date. “There seemed some misconception amongst the public, especially those who had lodged their objections to the ODP, which was later scrapped, that there’s no need to file fresh objections. I want to make it clear to members of the public that old objections no longer hold good and one has to lodge their objections afresh,” Ashok Kumar told The Goan.
He pointed out that the previous ODP, which had received as many as 450-odd objections, stands scrapped and the objections received then will not be taken up
for consideration in this new exercise.
What apparently made the SGPDA Member Secretary go with a public appeal is that the ongoing exercise has received only 200-plus objections, raising eyebrows amongst PDA officials whether the citizens are under the misconception that there’s no need to file fresh objections since they had already lodged their say in 2016.
Sources in the PDA pointed out that the authority ought to have received 400 objections if not more by this time given that the curtains are set to come down on the exercise by February 6. “Just 11 days to go for the exercise to end and the PDA has received only 200-odd objections. We want to make the citizens aware that they have still time to lodge their objections, if any, to the plan,” PDA officials said.
It could not be ascertained whether the PDA will go in for a short extension of the exercise to facilitate citizens to lodge their objection, with an official saying such a decision may be taken only
after assessing the number of objections to the ODP as on February 6.
