the goan I network
MAPUSA
With the State government deciding to re-notify the Calangute-Candolim ODP, the NGPDA has restarted the process to prepare the ODP for the two coastal villages in North Goa.
The NGPDA has invited objections and suggestions from locals, registered bodies and NGOs. “The draft ODP-2025 of Calangute-Candolim planning area shall be available for inspection at the NGPDA office. Objections if any should be submitted in writing to the authority within 60 days,” said R K Pandita, Member Secretary, NGPDA.
The draft ODP-2025 will also be available for inspection in VPs of Calangute, Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa.
It may be recalled that Damiao Telles and eight others had approached the HC against the Calangute-Candolim ODP. The HC while admitting the PIL in November last year had stayed its implementation and restrained the NGPDA from granting permission and occupancy certificate for any development or construction based on the plan.
In the PIL, Telles and others had alleged that NGPDA had sought to implement the draft plan without considering public objections and issuing a notification in the official gazette indicating that the plan has been finalized.
Roshan Mathias, one of the petitioners said they had raised several queries on the illegalities of the previous draft ODP. “The HC was supposed to announce its final order in the matter. This move to once again keep the draft plan open to public may have been initiated to preempt any adverse order against the earlier plan,” Mathias said.
He said they had no issues if NGPDA maintained complete transparency and followed proper procedures while preparing the plan.
