MARGAO: A six member delegation called on the chief town planner, Mr Morad Ahmad recently to follow up on the assurances given by the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat on March 4 to Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) and village groups.
Mr Kamat had promised that the progress of the Regional Plan 2021 will be made public every fifteen days by the TCP department and the plan notified in six months.
This meeting and delay to set things right assumes significance given the unconfirmed reports floating that the bottom of the present political uncertainty and the unceasing dissidence is the regional plan and land deals by major players in the national political and business setup.
The GBA pointed out the RP work has been delayed due to lack of fulltime paid staff required by SLC. In the 15 days between March 4 and March 19 there has been no progress except for two more village plans being finalised by SLC.
The GBA argued that instead of making the budgetary provisions for SLC it calls upon the civil society organisations like GBA to provide people to do honorary work for an honorary body working for TCP.
This was in response to the excuse of the CTP that they did not have the personnel to complete the work at the desired pace.
GBA also emphasised that the responsibility of preparing the RP 2021 was of the TCP department as per the TCP Act and it should not use voluntary bodies as scapegoats for their inefficiency.
The delegation also sought to know whether the TCP board had issued instructions to freeze constructions on eco zones as promised by the Chief Minister in his presence.
Mr Morad said that he has moved the file and is awaiting a date from the CM to hold the meeting.
The delegation also reminded the CTP that the nodal officer (SLC) had made a commitment in the presence of the CM, CTP and ten representatives of various village groups and GBA at the official residence of the CM that the final taluka plan for Pernem and Canacona would be ready for public suggestions by March 31.
The GBA and village groups will call on the office once again on March 31 to check the status of the plan as well as the revocation of NOCs where there are violations.
The delegation comprised of Dr Sabina Martins, Mr Arvind Bhaticar, Fr Maverick, Mr Annand Madganvkar, Mr Sashi Kamat and Mr Migual Braganza.
It may be recalled as per the details made available by the chief town planner on March 4 the taluka plans have been prepared by the staff of TCP and given to the state level committee only for the three talukas namely Pernem, Sattari and Canacona with "public objections and suggestions", panchayat inputs, Google Earth corrections for settlement areas and roads, prints of village plans handed to state level committee (SLC) for finalisation are 5 out of 21 for Pernem, 1 out of 21 for Sattari and 7 out of 7 for Canacona. The SLC has finalised one village plan of Pernem and 3 from Canacona.
