TUESDAY, JULY 09, 2024
Raveendranath Nayak
Section 17 (2) was inserted in the Country Planning Act 1974 by way of an amendment on 1st March 2023. This curious Section seeks to allow zone conversions of privately owned land in the Regional Plan. Once orchards, paddy fields, natural cover and cultivable land could now be converted as the land in Settlement Zone based on application from such land owners citing errors in the zoning.
This smooth conversion is apparently allowed by the Government to facilitate the development of the land by construction of houses, apartments and commercial properties. There is a huge demand to own a piece of land in Goa from citizens all over India to build their retirement homes, holiday homes, or simply for home-stay investment. Which State can provide them such sun, sand, greenery and good lifestyle amenities?
But the tension in this scenario is Goa is a small State---the land for people is limited and diminishing. The nefarious solution to this paucity seems to be constructing dwellings in orchards, khazan land, paddy fields, cow grazing hills and hilltops.
Let’s fell trees, move khazan bunds backwards or forwards, destroy our forest and greenery. This is an unreal fantasy of real estate barons. We’ve already destroyed acres of pristine Goan land in the name of legal and illegal mining. Why stop now the destruction of Goa?
The demand to build a home in Goa (Sun, Sand and Green) is so large, nobody can stop it. In fact, we must encourage the Indian citizens to come and live in Goa. They contribute to the Goan economy through their living and working in Goa. But I’m proposing the promotion and enactment of “Sustainable Living” Acts and Regulations. Under the Principle of Sustainable Living, no one (or her family) can build a large mansion using a large plot of land because it is unsustainable in the land deficient small State of Goa.
A landowner who wants to sell the land must get an approval from the Planning Authority after preparing a layout with subdivisions for plots. Roads not less than 10 meters wide must be shown. Each plot will have an area from 200 square meters but not exceeding 450 square meters (about 10 cents). No individual or her family can buy and register 2 plots in a layout. In rural settings, the dwelling must be single storey, not having more than 2 bedrooms. Houses must have a facade following traditional Goan architecture, and the roof must have terracotta tiles.
This dwelling is more than adequate for a family to live comfortably and sustainably in Goa. In urban settings, only multi-storey apartments are to be allowed with similar bed room restrictions.
You may ask whether a State can enact regulations and restrictions on residential or commercial land use? In many States in the United States of America for reasons not understood by me, by law one cannot build compound walls nor erect fences around the house.
Such Sustainable Living Regulations and Dwelling Acts can only regulate the demand for land but promote more housing in our State.
