Aquem-Margao’s miffed residents approach SGPDA

MARGAO: A section of concerned residents of Aquem-Margao, led by advocate Rajeev Gomes, on Friday, submitted representation to South Goa planning and development authority (SGPDA) member secretary Ashok Kumar objecting to the draft outline development plan (ODP) for Margao planning area 2026.
The residents comprising Gomes, Robert Vaz, Clifford Dias, Jason Cardozo and Orlando Pacheco told the media that Gomes ‘had placed his objections on record to the reservation of the Costa ground as a commercial zone in the draft ODP.They have requested the SGPDA to reserve the Costa ground as a playground space and cancel its zoning as a commercial zone.’
They will move court if their request is not granted.
Requesting the government to initiate land acquisition proceedings and provide fair market value to the owners of the Costa ground, Gomes said he ‘would present a similar representation to the Margao municipality that had passed several resolutions for preserving the playground but the proposal had been dropped for reasons best known to the civic body.’
He also cautioned that converting the Costa ground into a commercial zone would be a further burden on Margao’s infrastructure, besides resulting in garage and traffic woes. Gomes further pointed out that “the approximately 10,000sqm open playground have been used for many years by the residents to play and host football and cricket matches and other sports events.