MARGAO: In an interesting development, the village panchayat of Loutolim has officially written to the State government, highlighting critical discrepancies in the Regional Plan 2021 (RP 2021). The move comes in response to a resolution passed during an ordinary Gram Sabha meeting held on June 11, 2023, where concerned villagers raised the alarm over the misrepresentation of agricultural lands in the plan.
The letter, addressed to government officials including CM Pramod Sawant, Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vishwajit Rane, Panchayati Raj Minister Mauvin Godinho and key departmental heads, outlines several instances where vital agricultural areas, particularly paddy fields (morods) and khazan lands, have been incorrectly zoned as settlement areas in the RP 2021. The issue gained prominence when Chairman of the Loutolim Tenants Association, Albert Pinheiro brought these discrepancies to light during the Gram Sabha. Pinheiro’s concerns resonated with other villagers, leading to the unanimous passing of the resolution. This assumes significance against the backdrop of ongoing protests by farmers against the land acquisition of khazan lands for the new high-level Borim bridge and its approach roads. With evidence in hand, the farmers have pointed out that the plans submitted by the PWD for this bridge project have largely ignored khazan lands and CRZ areas and don’t have the requisite permissions to carry out development work on such lands. These concerns have been presented in a petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), where farmers from Loutolim as well as their counterparts from Borim, are opposing the land acquisition proceedings to protect their khazan fields.
The Loutolim panchayat has requested the government to conduct a thorough review of the zoning discrepancies highlighted in the Gram Sabha resolution. They have also called for physical site inspections of the affected areas in the presence of the Sarpanch before issuing any zoning certificates or permits.
The panchayat’s letter also references an FIR filed regarding alleged irregularities in the preparation of the RP 2021. This suggests that concerns about the plan’s accuracy and legitimacy extend beyond just zoning issues, pointing to systemic problems in the planning process. Accompanying the letter are several supporting documents, including the Gram Sabha resolution, a detailed list of affected survey numbers, zoning certificates, and photographic evidence of the lands in question.