Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the government to submit a map of Goa with the changes of land zone, which have been notified under the amended section 16B of the Town & Country Planning Act.
During the final hearing on a petition challenging the amendment, the bench on Wednesday also sought to know from the government if these changes were in public interest. The court has directed the government to submit the reply by February 24, when the matter will be next heard.
In the last hearing, the government had informed the court that the process to consider proposals under the provisions of Section 16B are ongoing, however, final approvals are held back pending the final verdict of the court.
The Act, which was amended in 2018 to add this section, empowers the TCP Board to change the zone in an applicant’s land in the Regional Plan. It was this amendment that Federation of Rainbow Warriors and Goa Foundation challenged before the High Court.
The petitioners’ prime objection is that the amendment allows individual requests as per ownership, over public interest in contravention to the principles of planning, and also mentioned that the TCP Department is placing notices encouraging people to come forward and convert areas for a fee under Sec 16B.
