MARGAO
Even as Margao municipal councillors along with supporters of Goa Forward party condemned the haste with which the PDA is moving to approve the ODP on Wednesday, all the three MLAs on the PDA “ Margao Congress MLA Digambar Kamat, Fatorda Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai and their Ponda counterpart, Lavu Mamledar met in the city here on Tuesday morning to take stock of the situation arising out of the PDA’s move to rush with the finalisation of the ODP on Wednesday.
The three MLAs, sources said, are believed to have decided to make a common cause at Wednesday’s meeting and request the SGPDA Chairman Mauvin Godinho and SGPDA member Secretary Ashok Kumar not to approve the ODP in haste and instead postpone the meeting to give enough time for the officials to study the plan. It is learnt that the three MLAs were in close touch with other PDA members, seeking their support to stall the covert and overt move of the PDA to approve the plan in a hurry.
Sources in the know said that SGPDA member Secretary Ashok Kumar is believed to have had a meeting with Chairman Mauvin Godinho against the backdrop of mounting opposition to the ODP. It is learnt that the SGPDA member secretary also met the three MLAs representing Margao, Fatorda and Ponda and was explained in detail how the ODP that is sought to be rushed by
the PDA suffers from various flaws.
Sources said the member secretary was told to take a holistic view of the entire process as per laid down guidelines without succumbing to any outside pressures.
Given that the government departments, including the PWD, are yet to submit their opinions on various aspects of the ODP vis-Ã -vis their jurisdiction, sources did not rule out the possibility of some of the departments seeking more time to study and file a detailed report to the PDA.
