for favour of publication, please. Averthanus _____
OF ODPs AND OPDs. Averthanus L. D'Souza. The North Goa Planning and Development Authority has published the draft Outline Development Plans for Panjim and Mapusa for scrutiny by the general public and to allow the citizens to submit their objections, if any, to the NGPDA before the 15th. December, 2007. As usual, the NGPDA is very reticent about making these Plans widely available in each Panchayat, in the Municipalities and at prominent public places. Citizens are expected to go to the office of the NGPDA and examine the Plans, which are put up on the Notice Board. It is rumoured that citizens are not allowed to take photographs of the displayed plans. There is no officer of the NGPDA available to explain the details of the ODPs to citizens who cannot interpret the very technical and confusing plans. In these circumstances, the Goa Bachao Abhiyan is making Herculean efforts to educate the public about the ODPs and to explain to them the intricacies of the plans. The GBA had a day long exhibition in the Kala Akademy a few weeks ago, and another one at the Clube Vasco da Gama, Panjim on November 20th from 10.00 to 19.00 hrs. The GBA has also announced its intention to hold similar public exhibitions in future to enable citizens to understand the implications of the ODPs. The GBA has also promised to assist citizens to draft out their objections, if any, to be submitted to the NGPDA before the deadline of December 15th. While the efforts of the GBA in this connection are certainly to be commended, and the team which makes the presentation is to be congratulated on the clarity with which it explains the implications of the ODPs, one very important (and basic) aspect of the entire exercise appears to be overlooked - surprisingly, even by the GBA. There is a fundamental objection to the NGPDA going ahead with the processing of the Outline Development Plans. In principle, any ODPs have to fit into an overall, and larger Regional Plan, which provides the parameters for the balanced development of the entire region. According to the principles of planning, the larger Regional Plan has to be formulated first. The more detailed Outline Development Plans can only be prepared in accordance with the Regional Plan. It simply does not make any sense for the NGPDA to proceed with the ODPs without any reference to the Regional Plan. The Chief Minister has appointed a Task Force to advise him on how to go about preparing a Regional Plan. The Task Force is currently in session and has had several meetings. Many NGOs and civic groups as well as individuals have been given the opportunity to present their views to the Task Force. While the Task Force is in session, it is quite stupid for the NGPDA to continue processing the ODPs without any reference whatsoever to the eventual formulation of the Regional Plan. The logical thing to do is that the processing of the ODPs be frozen until the Regional Plan is duly approved and officially promulgated. There is every possibility that if the ODPs are finalized independently of the Regional Plan, there will be contradictions and inconsistencies in the ODPs in relation to the Regional Plan. It is as if the building contractor proceeds with his construction activities even before the plan of the construction has been finalized by the Architect or before the Plan has been approved by the appropriate authorities. The word "stupid" has been used deliberately because there is no better word to describe the utterly obtuse thinking which underlies the initiative of the NGPDA to proceed with the processing of the ODPs. Which brings us to the activities of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan. The time and effort which the GBA has expended on preparing the very effective display materials and the OHP presentation to explain the intricacies of the ODPs to the public is reminiscent of the efforts of the attendants in hospital OPDs to put bandages on weeping sores without investigating the internal causes of the sores. The mere bandaging of the sores is not going to solve the underlying problem. The many inconsistencies in the ODPs are only the manifestation of the deeper malaise which pervades the PDAs. Total incompetence, arrogance and corruption which determine the ultimate ODPs. What is called for is a thorough overhaul of the entire system of planning and the abolition of the present structure of planning - which is irrational and nonsensical. Instead of spending time and effort is showing up inconsistencies, the GBA should have followed the same principle which it did when it campaigned (so effectively) for the total scrapping of the Regional Plan 2011. What is now called for is the freezing of the process of formulating ODPs. It does not make any sense to proceed with this exercise in the absence of a Regional Plan. A radical overhaul of the process of planning is urgently required, otherwise we will have the equivalent of the dish running away with the spoon. Averthanus L. D'Souza, D-13, La Marvel Colony, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004. Tel: (0832) 2453628. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>