Team Herald
PANJIM: In a significant move, Department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) has decided that case-to-case changes in zone, which would be initiated as per the Town and Country Planning (amendment) Act, will be placed before the public for necessary suggestions and objections, before notifying them to ensure transparency in the process.
The Goa Town and Country Planning (amendment) Bill, 2018, which has been placed before the House, will come up for consideration and passing on Monday. The Bill seeks to insert Section 16 B under which individual requests for change of zone could be entertained by the TCP Board.
Speaking to media persons, Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai said that the government finds itself at odds to address the grievances of individual land owners whose land use zone was reverted from Regional Plan 2001 (RP) to RP 2021 and hence finds it necessary to introduce a provision in the Act to consider individual requests.
He said that in a bid to maintain transparency in the proposed amendment, the government will invite public suggestions and comments on the change in zone within 60 days, which would be taken into consideration before notifying the changes.
“Government will strictly follow Sections 12 to Sections 15 of the TCP Act which entails publishing the zone change in the gazette and local newspapers, seek public objections and suggestions after a period of 60 days and again notify the same considering the objections and suggestions,” Sardesai said.
He said the insertion of Section 16 B would grant justice to the people and every case of zone change would be transparent and carried out with due diligence and conscientiousness and considering all environmental concerns.
Sardesai recalled that the need to bring in necessary changes in zone in the public interest was taken after it was endorsed by the State Assembly, soon after the new coalition govt was formed.
