PANJIM: Taking serious cognizance of increasing number of illegal land conversions, the BJP-led government proposes to amend the existing Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act to impose one year imprisonment to those involved in such illegalities.
TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai alleged that non-Goans are involved in purchase of land in lakhs of sq mts and converting it illegally.
“I have raised the issue with Chief Minister demanding that some serious steps need to be taken to curb this. Chief Minister has asked me to introduce a section which will impose one-year imprisonment to those involved in illegal conversions,” he said.
“We will have to amend the TCP Act for that. Section under IPC will have to be introduced,” he said.
The minister expressed his unhappiness towards the functioning of the department, which has failed to provide a detailed list of illegal conversions. Sardessai has decided to issue memo to the Chief Town Planner over his failure to provide details in time-bound manner.
“October 1 was the deadline. We had asked for the details almost a month back. But till date nothing has come to me. Memo will be issued to them shortly,” he said exploring possibility of possible collusion between the TCP officers and those involved in illegal activities.
The minister claimed that the illegal conversions will be more than the planning development authorities (PDAs) that government proposes to come up with. “You will be shocked once the details are out,” he said.
Government had last month begun a crackdown on those involved in illegal conversion of orchard land. Department was also directed to file FIR against the violators.
