MARGAO
The South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) has on Wednesday resolved to issue a notice inviting objections and suggestions from the public to the Outline Development Plan (ODP) 2031 for Margao and Ponda planning areas.
The SGPDA has also decided to float separate tenders to appoint sopo revenue collection contractors for the wholesale fish market and the retail market.
At the meeting held on Wednesday chaired by Chairman Krishna Salkar, the SGPDA has also resolved to seek a grant of around Rs 50 lakh from the government to refurbish the retail fish market.
Briefing the media after the meeting which was attended by MLAs Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai, the Chairman said the notice inviting tenders to submit objections and suggestions to the draft ODP 2031 will be issued immediately. Given that the government had accepted the PDA’s decision to extend the time frame for citizens to submit their objections and suggestion, Salkar said members of the public will get 30 days for submissions from the date of publication of the notice.
The PDA also discussed the appointment of the committee under section 35(3) of the TCP Act to consider the objections received, the opportunity of being heard by any person and to prepare the report for submission to the authority.
Salkar further informed that the meeting has decided to float tenders for the sopo collection from the wholesale fish market and retail market.
“We intend to initiate the tendering process immediately so that the exercise is complete by January end and new contractors are appointed to collect the sopo fees,” he said.
On the shifting of the wholesale fish market, the Chairman said the PDA is awaiting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to take a call on the SGPDA’s note on arranging funds to prepare the new site for the temporary market.
Salkar said the PDA will ask the TCP department to sanction a grant of around Rs 50 lakh to refurbish the mega retail fish market. He, however, said the fish and other vendors should cooperate with the PDA in paying the agreed fee of Rs 30 per day.
“We have planned to spruce up the retail fish market in the interest of the citizens and the vendors. We expect the vendors to cooperate with the PDA by paying the fees,” he said. In this respect, he said a joint meeting with the vendors, PDA and the MLAs will be convened soon.
