Villagers in dilemma over Mormugao ODP, RP

PANAJI: Panchayats members of some grassroot bodies of Mormugao taluka have alleged that finalization of an Outline Development Plan 2011 by Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA) for their rural areas has turned the participatory planning envisaged under Regional Plan 2021 into a redundant exercise for the villagers.
"The ODP 2011 has been finalised and sent to the government for notification," Albino Vales, a Chicalim-based lawyer said, adding that, "We have formed a village level committee to discuss RP 2021, but we are not sure which plan will prevail the MPDA's or the villagers?���
The village panchayat areas of Chicalim, Sancoale, Chicolna-Bogmalo and Issorcim are part of the MPDA."Other PDAs cover only urban areas in their jurisdiction. Our gram sabha had passed a resolution opposing inclusion in the MPDA, " Simon Carvalho, a former panch lamented.
He explained that when PDAs were sought to be expanded by including some village areas, the government had scrapped the decision in the face of a fierce agitation headed, among others, by St Cruz MLA, Victoria Fernandes. "The government had asked panchayats to express their views through gram sabha resolutions, but we find that we are still retained in its jurisdiction," Carvalho added.
The villagers allege that the participatory process will become meaningless and the gram sabha impotent. "How can you have an ODP when the regional plan is not yet formulated," Dr Wilfred Mesquita, a Chicalim resident questioned.
Demanding that the ODP 2011 be kept in abeyance, the Chicalim villagers have petitioned the chief minister, who is chairman of the Task Force, to intervene in the matter.
"There cannot be two set of rules for different panchayats, as this amounts to discrimination," a villager said. Confirming that the ODP 2011 had been approved and sent to the government for notification, R K Pandita, member secretary, MPDA said, "These village panchayats are declared as planning areas under section 18 of TCP Act and hence the ODP comes into effect for these areas."
Though PDAs had been scrapped in January, 2005, the government subsequently reconstituted them, and these villages were made part of the planning area.