Day after TCP okays Taleigao ODP, locals vow to challenge it

PANAJI

: A few

Taleigao

villagers have pledged to challenge the outline development plan (ODP) approved by town and country planning board on Friday, stating that the planning process is arbitrary and non-transparent.

The ODP, prepared by the Greater Panaji Planning and Development Authority (GPPDA), has plans for an indoor stadium, a market complex, cemetery with a sea view, rain water harvesting and new panchayat ghar, among other proposals.

However, some villagers alleged that they were denied adequate opportunity to present their views at a hearing before the sub committee on January 30. “The hearing was abruptly concluded even before we could explain our position,” Eusebio Gomes, a villager, said.

The GPPDA notice was served only a day before the meeting. A group of villagers, including

Pundalik

Raikar and Tallulah D’Silva, alleged that they received the notice on Saturday, possibly due to sabotage. “All this leads us to believe that this was a pre-planned strategy to suppress our voice,” Gomes alleged in a letter to GPPDA.

GPPDA member secretary R K Pandita denied the charges, stating that the sub committee headed by J B Coutinho had heard all stakeholders . “They were given an opportunity to present their views, whatever the decision,” he said.

The villagers said that will resort to legal recourse against the ODP, which has been drawn up without proper consultation and studies. The area near Taleigao already has two indoor stadiums — Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium and Athletic stadium,

Bambolim

. “The first one is mostly used for exhibitions, while the athletic stadium is hardly used. Has any report been prepared to assess the deficiency in indoor facilities in and around the village,” Raikar said.

Agricultural land would have to be sacrificed for the indoor stadium, panchayat ghar and a few other facilities. Further, the villagers questioned the planning process, stating that panchayat is a constitutional body while PDA is a statutory body.

“The panchayati raj framework has been bypassed,” Raikar said.

A few villagers had presented a vision document, stressing that as per gram sabha resolution agriculture land should not be used for construction purpose.

Pandita said 15 lakh sqm of eco-fragile land has been protected. “The plan has positive features, including area for baling waste, parking and housing for SC and ST community,” he said.

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