Government to acquire fields near Mapusa for ‘development’

MAPUSA: The landscape of the fields around Mapusa may be a thing of the past with the state government planning on acquiring these lands for development purpose under two phases.

Chief minister Manohar Parrikar, on Tuesday, held another meeting with stakeholders and beneficiaries of the town planning scheme for Mapusa and Gaunsavaddo at the Mapusa residency hall. The meeting was organized by north Goa planning and development authority (NGPDA).

The scheme, is set to be implemented in two phases, wherein the government will acquire around 18 lakh sqm of fields near the Bodgeshwar temple and other such areas in Mapusa town. Phase I of the scheme will incorporate downtown Mapusa - where 12 lakh sqm of fields is expected to be developed, while phase II will focus on the fields around Camarcazana and Gaunsavaddo.

Parrikar said that it is a voluntary scheme which will be implemented only after consent from land owners and tenants.

The land identified by the NGPDA will be utlilized for a number of projects such as a market, parking facility, Ravindra Bhavan, warehouse, interstate bus stand, community hall and joggers' park. Open spaces will also be dedicated to the development of government offices, ring roads and exhibition centres.

The work is being assigned to LKS Consultants. Mapusa municipal council (MMC) chairperson Rohan Kavlekar, vice-chairman Sandeep Falari, councillors Sudhir Kandolkar and Ryan Braganza and Goa state urban development agency were present at the meeting. Also present at the meeting were Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and president of the Mapusa shetkari sangh Sanjay Barde.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, president of Mapusa shetkari samiti, Sanjay Barde, said that the chief minister evaded questions at the meeting with regards to the "land grab" wherein agricultural land would be taken through this scheme at a pittance.

But, Lourenco appealed to the chief minister to save agriculture land. "It is wrong to commercialize all fields with 300% FAR.These fields are low-lying and that too, comunidade land. Since this land cannot be developed commercially, the government is trying backdoor tactics under the scheme," he said.