THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The fate of over 1700 applications that had received provisional approvals for Zone change under Section 16B of the TCP Act hangs in balance, as Minister Vishwajit Rane decides to review them.
Not just this, but the outline development plans (ODPs) of the planning and development areas (PDAs) might be scrapped as Minister asks TCP Board to have a relook at the plans considering court cases and public objections.
Rane today chaired the first meeting of the TCP board which had focused on bringing transparency and ease of doing business in the sector.
The TCP Act was amended in 2018 to add section 16B and it became a huge source of controversy with NGOs and political opponents terming it a scam. The amendments were challenged in the Bombay High Court at Goa.
Addressing a press conference post meeting, Rane said that a committee under Chief Town Planner James Mathew will be constituted to review the 16B zone change cases.
The committee will have to submit its report within 45 days for necessary action, he said adding if required another 15 days time will be granted to the committee.
Over 1431 provisional approvals and 250 final approvals were granted for zone change under 16B since it's introduction in 2018.
"We will reject all those cases where we come across major discrepancies or violations of TCP Act," he said.
Rane said that though the new applications under 16B will be taken up, no decision will be taken.
NGO Goa Foundation and Goa Bachao Abhiyan had in November 2018 moved High Court with a Public Interest Litigation(PIL) for quashing and setting aside provisions of law (Sec 16B of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act and proviso to Regulation 6.1.1(d) of the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations, 2010) that seek to allow ad-hoc and arbitrary conversions of privately owned plots in the Regional Plan based on individual applications from such Zone changes.
Rane said that the matter is currently subjudice but there is no stay in any form.
Further, hitting at possible suspension of outline development plans (ODPs), approved or drafted for several planning and development areas (PDAs), Minister has decided to have a relook.
Rane has sought a detail presentation on all the final and draft ODPs from the TCP department during its next Board meeting, which will be held soon.
Rane said that under grave emergency, the Board has powers to suspend the ODPs if it finds discrepancies or deviation from Rules and Regulations.
"Also, there are lot of Court cases, public objections...we have to go through all this and have a relook," he said.
In yet another decision, the Board has decided to take on board planning consultants, whose services would be mandatory while preparing ODPs.
Also the Board decided to grant self attestation powers to architect for upto 500 sq mts of built up area.
Rane said that TCP act will be amended to ensure that files not approved within 21 or 45 days will be considered deemed approved.
Also Board decided to introduce online file tracking management system.
