------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remembering Aquino Braganca (b. 6 April 1924), who fought for freedom of the former Portuguese colonies in Africa. An online tribute http://aquinobraganca.wordpress.com/ (includes many historical references, some photographs and documents) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Mapusa Nagrikancho Ekvott [MNE] has taken the decision to organize a protest march on 15.04.2009 at 10.30 a.m. in Mapusa [starting near Asilo Hospital-OPD] to highlight the sham exercise carried-out by the authorities with respect to the Outline Development Plan [ODP] for Mapusa city. The City of Mapusa lacks proper roads, pavements, parking areas, parks, sewerage, exhibition grounds, a decent auditorium etc. Instead of planning for the present-felt needs and for the future orderly growth of the city, what has been observed is that the ODP for Mapusa has suggested massive conversions of land from agricultural to high-density commercial and settlement zones, whereby construction is going to be authorized in paddy fields where the water table is just below the surface, thereby eliminating the possibility of having underground parking, without giving a thought to the load that the present-day roads can take, without any provision for green spaces and without considering that some of the residential areas have many architecturally valuable houses which will disappear with the type of zoning [C1] which has been envisaged in this ODP. The people of Mupusa, in several representations, submitted their objections, within the time limited for the purpose. Subsequently, a committee composed of Mr. Halarnkar [MLA of Tivim] , Mr Francis D'Souza [MLA of Mapusa], architect Ashley Mascarenhas and some other persons was constituted by the government to hear the grievances, the objections and suggestions of the public. At the time, this committee expressed their complete unfamiliarity with the plan and suggested that the public give them, in a summarized manner, what they wish the committee to do. This was immediately provided by the MNE . However, soon thereafter, the members of the MNE started hearing rumors that the zoning for Mapusa was up for grabs and that it was being done in conjunction with vested interests, with certain quid pro quo involved. For that reason the MNE delegation approached the Chief Minister of Goa and apprised him of the situation and requested that the ODP not be notified unless the modified draft ODP first be shown to the MNE delegation. The Chief Minister made a note to the Town and Country Planning Department [TCP] that the ODP prepared be show to the MNE, but this never took place and the Chief Minister's order was defied. The MNE now suspects that this was a ploy by the Chief Minister to placate the public in order to forestall a protest. This conclusion was arrived-at as several letters written to the Chief Minister informing him about the refusal of the TCP to show the plan were ignored by the CM. After the notification, the MNE noticed that more agricultural land has been included as high-density commercial [C1] zones than those that had appeared in the original draft plan. The MNE states that the so-called elected representatives and their cronies in the building lobby are out to turn the open areas of Mapusa into concrete jungles, which areas, if properly utilized, could have given Mapusa a semblance of a planned, people-friendly city. The 74th amendment to the Constitution has been incorporated so that cities may be revitalized with people's participation. In this case, the ODP for Mapusa has been prepared without even taking the elected members of the Council into confidence. The ODP was finalized without a land use map having been first prepared. how can such a plan be commented upon intelligently? The MNE has now heard that some projects have been prepared for Mapusa by SUDA and GSIDC - it is not known what these are. The MNE would like to tell these authorities to publish the details of these projects so that the public is made aware of the plans instead of being kept in the dark as is the habit nowadays. The public has a right to know and to give suggestions or alternatives. Let us have a democracy in its' true meaning and not as a slogan only. And therefore, these are the reasons for the protest. All Mapxemkars and Bardezkars are urged to show their solidarity with this unique peaceful citizen's march to fill up fill up the city by joining this symbolic march to show their dis-satisfaction with the planning of this very important Mapusa city which houses the world famous 'Mapusa Market' and many historical buildings and structures. END