TCP appoints 4-member board to look into Greater Panaji PDA concerns

PANAJI: The Town and Country Planning Board, on Monday, decided to appoint a four-member committee to decide on the concerns raised by residents of the 10 villages that have been added to the Greater Panaji Planning and Development Authority (GGPDA). Making the announcement, TCP minister Vijai Sardesai said the committee will hear the apprehensions and suggestions of the respective local sarpanchas and MLAs and then submit a report to the board for a further decision.
“The board meeting discussed representations against GPPDA received from village panchayats. I have formed a four-member committee that will hear the sarpanchas and respective MLAs and revert to the board,” Sardesai said.
The four-member committee will be headed by the TCP minister and will consist of chief town planner Rajesh Naik, member secretary for North Goa Planning and Development Authority R K Pandita and Congress MLA Filipe Nery Rodrigues.
The first meeting of the committee will be held on March 21 at 4pm where concerns of Siridao, Azossim-Mandur and Gancim will be discussed.
“There will be more meetings for other villages. After 20 days we will have another TCP board meeting where we may take up this issue. This agenda item has been postponed for the next board meeting,” an official said.
Villagers and activists from Chimbel, Curca-Bambolim-Talaulim, St Cruz and Azossim-Mandur have forged together to form a united front to oppose inclusion of their areas under GPDDA. The protestors have called for an agitation on April 6.
The next TCP board meeting is scheduled for April 10.
During Monday’s meeting, a decision was also taken to formulate guidelines for rain water harvesting by April 10.
“We can’t waste 125 inches of annual rainfall in times when wars are, and could be fought, for water,” Sardesai said.