PANJIM: Department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) has notified the requests/proposals for change of zone in respect of the Regional Plan for Goa-2021 and recommendations of the TCP board. This is regarding all the 12 talukas – Canacona, Pernem, Sattari, Ponda, Quepem, Bicholim, Dharbandora, Sanguem, Bardez, Tiswadi, Mormugao and Salcete.
The same information has been specified in a table that has been published in the official gazette, for information of those likely to be affected. The change of zones concern the settlement level plans of the village panchayats and municipal councils.
“Notice is hereby given that the copies of the maps and note containing the proposed changes are available for the purpose of inspection in the office of the TCP Department, 2nd Floor, Dempo Tower, Patto Plaza for a period of two months,” read the notification.
The notification further added that all objections, suggestions to the requests or proposals and recommendations of the TCP board, maybe forwarded to the Chief Town Planner (Planning), before the expiry of the period of two months, so that they can be referred to the TCP Board for its consideration.
TCP added that the Chief Town Planner (Planning) had earlier received requests for change of existing zone of their land to the proposed zone. TCP then carried out surveys and examined these along with a report to the TCP Board for its consideration. The TCP Board had considered the requests and report and had given its recommendations.
Reacting to the same, Goa Congress spokesperson, architect Tulio D’Souza, questioned the speed at which TCP was notifying such changes.
“The notification, published in the official gazette pertains to the 175th meeting of the TCP board, which is part of the large agenda of continuously destroying Goa. This amendment to the TCP Act of inserting section 16 b was done by the BJP government at the behest of Vijai Sardesai, the then TCP minister,” D’Souza said.
“Another 55 cases of conversion of large tracts of cultivable land and orchards have been considered by the board and the government is in a hurry to convert many more lands in view of the Assembly term coming to an end. This will result in the environmental degradation of Goa’s ecology and the results are going to be disastrous in the days to come,” he added.