Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane has said the Goa government is strengthening legal safeguards to permanently protect the state’s ecologically sensitive areas through Section 39A of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act.
Rane said the move will ensure permanent protection for Wagheri Hill and several other environmentally vulnerable locations across the state. He added that more eco-sensitive areas along the Mandovi and Zuari river systems will also be notified by the Town and Country Planning Department based on recommendations from the Forest Department.
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According to the minister, the Forest Department has already identified these regions as ecologically vulnerable, and both departments will work in coordination to ensure their long-term conservation and protection.
Rane also announced that the Town and Country Planning Department has been directed not to issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the sale of properties falling within private forests, eco-sensitive areas, salt pans, khazan lands and paddy fields.
The minister further said the government has filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court covering 554 survey numbers, seeking two-layer protection for these lands by declaring them as No Development Zones.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to environmental conservation, Rane said the measures are aimed at preventing future land conversions and safeguarding Goa’s ecologically sensitive areas for future generations.
