PANAJI
The controversy and political slugfest between TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo over the Outline Development Plans (ODPs) of the Calangute-Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra planning areas seems to have got a quiet burial.
Both, the Calangute-Candolim ODP-2025 and the Arpora-Nagoa-Parra ODP-2030 were notified by R K Pandita, the member-secretary of North Goa Planning & Development Authority (NGPDA) on Tuesday earlier this week.
Pandita in the notification states that government has approved the two ODPs with the changes recommended by the review committee.
“The plans may be inspected in the office of the North Goa Planning & Development Authority, Mala, Panaji-Goa,” Pandita said in the notification dated December 13.
Raising serious charges of "massive illegalities", Rane had suspended the ODPs of Calangute-Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra besides Vasco-da-Gama Planning Area in April and appointed a committee to review them.
With the needle of suspicion pointing to him, Lobo had denied the allegations claiming that the two ODPs which encompassed his Calangute constituency were prepared and finalised by the NGPDA when he was already a cabinet minister and not part of the body.
The stand-off between Rane and Lobo dragged on with an FIR being lodged against the latter and the political slugfest lingering. The issue lost steam only after the defection of eight Congress legislators into the BJP in mid-September.
Rane had alleged that vast areas of no-development zones including low lying agricultural areas and mangroves were converted in the ODPs and had pointed an accusing finger at Lobo, known to have interests in real estate.
