PANJIM: Goencho Avaaz, that has spearheaded a fresh movement against PDAs and RP 2021, on Friday advised Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department to immediately stay the operation of Regional Plan 2021, commence the process for drafting RP 2031 with people’s participation and initiate criminal action against those involved in illegal conversion of land and those who granted permission for zonal change.
Goencho Avaaz had exposed the names of 14 politicians, including TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai and some former and sitting MLAs, for their alleged involvement in illegal land conversions in the guise of RP 21, during a meeting at Lohia Maidan on April 27. The NGO was issued a notice by the five-member expert committee of TCP, constituted to inquire into the allegation.
In its reply submitted to the committee member secretary, Chief Town Planner Rajesh Naik, Goencho Avaaz, declined to accept the committee stating that its formation is ad-hoc and arbitrary. It said that as per the TCP Act there is no provision for constitution of such a committee, no notification issued and there are no terms of reference for the working of the committee.
In their demands, Geoncho Avaaz has asked TCP to immediately stay the operation of RP 21 and to ensure that restrictions of both RP 2001 and RP 2021 are in force. Goencho Avaaz also threatened to file a criminal complaint against the offenders, if the government fails to initiate necessary action.
“To carry out review of the RP 21 flawed processes and procedural lapses based on your own records in order to ensure that RP 2031 preparation in according to the wishes of the people and the statutory and constitutional mandate, including data collection and analyses, grass root participation and preparation of the plan at the gram sabha level,” Co-convenor Capt Viriato Fernandes said.
It has also demanded criminal action against the violators of law and those responsible for putting in operation RP 2021 via order dated March 28, 2018. It has demanded that permissions granted post March 28 should be cancelled.
Speaking to media persons after meeting with the CTP, Fernandes said that evidence and documents with survey numbers and Form XIV on illegal land conversion was placed in public domain during the meeting at Lohia Maidan and there is no more evidence with us. “Whatever is there we had made it public. TCP Department should have taken suo-moto cognizance and acted. Also if they go through their records, they will find our complaints and the required data on illegal conversions,” he said.
Fernandes said the CTP assured to investigate the allegations. “If the department fails to investigate, we will file criminal complaint against those involved in illegal conversions and also those who granted permission for the same,” he threatened.
Fernandes recalled that the then BJP government, through the Governor on March 2012 had assured to de-notify RP 21 and prepare a new plan in consultation with the stakeholders. “However, the plan was kept in abeyance for nearly seven years. All of sudden, the plan is now kept open bringing settlement and industrial zones into force. This is a criminal act and action has to be taken against those involved in issuing order dated March 28, 2018 to keep the plan open. This is grave misuse of powers and corruption by the official involved,” he said.
