PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday issued notices to the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board (IPB) and others regarding the proposed Deltin Town Project at Dhargalim.
The petitioners Swapnesh Sherlekar, an activist and Rohidas Harmalkar, a senior citizen from Dhargalim have prayed that the IPB be directed not to issue any further clearances to any project under the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation of Single Window Clearance Act 2021.
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They have also sought to stay any development activity in the area designated as an Investment Promotion Area for ‘Deltin Town Project’ under the IPB of Single Window Clearance Act, 2021.
The Goa government, Command Area Development Board, IPB, Water Resources Department, North Goa Collector, Pernem Deputy Collector and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department, Deputy Town Planner, Dhargalim village panchayat and Delta Corp Limited, Pune have been named as respondents.
The petitioners stated that the proposed construction of an integrated resort complex project named ‘Deltin Town’ was approved in the land admeasuring over 3.20 lakh square metres, which was notified as Command Area of Tillari Irrigation Project in Dhargalim.
In November 2021, the State government issued a draft notification declaring the project area for ‘Deltin Town’ including all 18 of the same survey numbers as an Investment Promotion Area of 3,82,099 square metres. Further in June 2022, the government notified the total project area as an Investment Promotion Area and further Planning Development and Construction Committee (PDCC) was authorised to decide on al statutory matters regarding the project. Subsequently in April 2023, the PDCC issued conversion sanad to Delta Corp Ltd for use of the project area ‘for commercial purpose with 80 FAR.
In May 2023, the IPB based on the PDCC direction, issued a technical clearance to the Delta Corp Ltd for the said project thereby superseding the authority of the Chief Town Planner, who was the competent authority under the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations, 2010.
The petitioners stated that changing the land use of the said land parcels to commercial and removing their agricultural uses will lead to extinguishing their potential for irrigation and/or cultivation, which was in contradiction to the purpose and interest of the Command Areas, besides being illegal, as there was no Command Area Development Board constituted at the time of granting NOC/permission.
The petitioners are represented by Adv Rohit Bras De Sa.
