MAPUSA
Opposing the much hyped Town Planning Scheme to develop Mapusa, Curtorim MLA, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco on Tuesday blamed the politician-planner-builder nexus for the decision to convert large tracts of agricultural land in Mapusa while development was just a façade.
"If there are no builders, this project cannot take off. Government is using pressure to give it to builders. It's a politician-planner-builder nexus. Government came into picture only because without government they cannot do it," said Lourenco to The Goan.
The Curtorim MLA travelled almost 60 kms to Mapusa to attend a meeting of stakeholders and beneficiaries of the Town Planning Scheme for Mapusa in support of a section of farmers who are opposing the scheme. Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar addressed the meeting in the presence of NGPDA member secretary, R K Pandita, Mapusa Municipal Council, Chairperson, Rohan Kavlekar and others.
Lourenco said he was not opposed to development per se but not at the cost of nature.
"You cannot have projects in the field. These are low-lying fields. These are catchment areas. If they are trying to build in catchment areas, then they will convert entire Goa like this," he said.
Challenging the chief minister in his own den, the Congress MLA said the chief minister was using the government to subvert the Goa Agriculture Tenancy Act.
"Under the Goa Agriculture Tenancy Act, you cannot convert tenanted land. You cannot give tenanted land to anyone else. So, to
subvert the tenancy act, the chief minister is taking it as a government project," Lourenco explained.
He further said the chief minister was not only arrogant but adamant to
have the scheme in Mapusa at all cost.
"The CM is enticing the tenants. But communidade land cannot be given to builders. Communidade has no powers to give. Somebody will challenge it. This scheme will fall," he said.
Opposing the much hyped Town Planning Scheme to develop Mapusa, Curtorim MLA, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco on Tuesday blamed the politician-planner-builder nexus for the decision to convert large tracts of agricultural land in Mapusa while development was just a façade.
"If there are no builders, this project cannot take off. Government is using pressure to give it to builders. It's a politician-planner-builder nexus. Government came into picture only because without government they cannot do it," said Lourenco to The Goan.
The Curtorim MLA travelled almost 60 kms to Mapusa to attend a meeting of stakeholders and beneficiaries of the Town Planning Scheme for Mapusa in support of a section of farmers who are opposing the scheme. Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar addressed the meeting in the presence of NGPDA member secretary, R K Pandita, Mapusa Municipal Council, Chairperson, Rohan Kavlekar and others.
Lourenco said he was not opposed to development per se but not at the cost of nature.
"You cannot have projects in the field. These are low-lying fields. These are catchment areas. If they are trying to build in catchment areas, then they will convert entire Goa like this," he said.
Challenging the chief minister in his own den, the Congress MLA said the chief minister was using the government to subvert the Goa Agriculture Tenancy Act.
"Under the Goa Agriculture Tenancy Act, you cannot convert tenanted land. You cannot give tenanted land to anyone else. So, to
subvert the tenancy act, the chief minister is taking it as a government project," Lourenco explained.
He further said the chief minister was not only arrogant but adamant to
have the scheme in Mapusa at all cost.
"The CM is enticing the tenants. But communidade land cannot be given to builders. Communidade has no powers to give. Somebody will challenge it. This scheme will fall," he said.
