NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Demanding de-notification of Greater Panaji Planning and Development Authority (GPPDA) from all villages, amendment to the Town and Country Planning Act, giving constitutional powers to the villages and scrapping of Regional Plan 2021, ‘Goenkar Against PDA’ on Friday decided to issue the government an 8-day ultimatum to take a decision before planning on intensifying their agitation.
Speaking during a rally held at the Azad Maidan in the city, Arturo D’Souza, convenor of ‘Goenkar Against PDA,’ an organisation fighting against the inclusion of villages in PDA, said that due to the delay tactics employed by the government, people all over the state have lost faith in Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai and GPPDA chairman Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate.
Speaking on the occasion, former deputy speaker Victoria Fernandes said, “We fought for Goa and preserved the Goan identity. Now it is your duty to preserve the state for posterity and future of your children.” Appealing to the government to act in the interest of people, she said that there is a need to preserve the uniqueness of Goa and to safeguard its identity. She said, “PDA is a disease that has been imposed upon us and needs to be treated by taking the citizens into confidence.” “We have fought and won many battles at the Azad Maidan. Now again we have come here to win this battle. We hope everybody will lend us a helping hand.” she said.
Demanding that all PDAs be scrapped with immediate effect to implement the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution of India empowering the local self-governing bodies to decide on development in their areas, convenor of Goa Bachao Abhiyan Sabina Martins said that there should be one regional plan for north district and another for south and a regional plan for the whole state and reminded the crowd about the gathering in 2006 demanding scrapping of the regional plan.
Historian Prajal Sakhardande said that the state needs special status to check the uncontrolled entry of migrants into the state and added that Goans need to stand united and fight this battle.
Fr Savio from the Goa unit of Council for Social Justice and Peace was of the opinion that a law needs to be re-enacted and the government needs to come up with a plan with the help of experts by taking people into confidence so that it benefits the people. He said that the politicians have, however, learnt the tactics of keeping people on tenterhooks.
Cyriaco Dias, a freedom fighter, who fought along with Jack de Sequeira during the Opinion Poll, said that in the year 1955, Calangute was a beautiful place but today due to the mushrooming of houses, it has lost its beauty. “Imagine if vertical development takes place, what will be the plight of the beaches,” he said. Stating that politicians are following into the footsteps of British by adopting a divide and rule policy, he said they are trying to play with the sentiments of Goans, who, he said, will not tolerate it anymore. He said if Goa was not saved by our forefathers from getting merged into Maharashtra, it would have today been one of the districts of the neighbouring state.
Rudolf Fernandes said that as of now Goans are suffering from interrupted power supply, garbage menace and shortage of water and feared that if vertical development takes place then Goans will face a number of problems like sewage on roads, contaminated wells and destroyed lakes and buildings.