PANJIM: In what could pan out to be a controversial decision, the government has notified 56 villages from nine talukas as urban areas.
The notification issued by Revenue Under Secretary Sudin Netu says, “In exercise of powers under section 3 sub-section (38) of the Goa Land Revenue Code 1968 (act No 9 of 1969), Government hereby notifies the following villages as Urban Areas for purpose of this Act.”
The villages now notified as urban areas are in Pernem (4), Bardez (16), Bicholim (1), Sattari (1), Tiswadi (9), Ponda (9), Salcete (10), Mormugao (4) and Quepem (2).
Officials in the Revenue Department, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the decision was taken as per the Centre’s direction. A top official said, “This notification under Land Revenue Code has been issued based on Centre’s directions for Census 2021.”
Some sources also revealed that the exercise has been carried out to get CRZ II criteria under the new Coastal Zone Management Plan.
The circular issued by the Office of Registrar General, copy of which is in possession of Herald says, “For preparation of Census 2021, the first and foremost task to be handled by Directorate of Census Operations is demarcation of places as rural and urban areas.”
Further, it adds, that for the purpose of identification of urban areas, based on demographic criteria (ie population size, and proportion of workers), rural units with a population of 4,000 or more in 2011 are required to be taken up for examination because they are expected to cross the population mark of 5,000 by the next census 2021.
“For such cases the composition of work force and density of population are required to be examined to see whether these qualify to be seen as categorised as urban areas. While applying the test of main working population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits, only male main workers will be considered and the workers engaged in agricultural activities, namely cultivators, agricultural labourers , plantation, livestock, forestry, fishing, hunting and allied activities are to be excluded from the total male main workers for computing the percentage of male main workers in non-agricultural pursuits,” says the circular.
Interestingly, as done in CZMP, even here the State government appears to have delayed, as the final date of sending urban areas list after the boundaries are frozen was January 15, 2020.
An official in the GCZMA said that the notification will help finalise the CZMP for the State. “As per the new notification, we can ask for CRZ II, which means the local TCP laws will be applicable for the coastal areas,” the official said.
Interestingly, he said that the 2,000 metre No Development Zone will disappear. “The nearest authorised structure, prior to 1991, to the High Tide Line, will be the NDZ and beyond that local TCP laws will be applicable,” he says.
Reacting strongly to the notification, Capt Viriato Fernandes of Goencho Avaaz said this is nothing but an official, organised loot of the State by the elected representatives.
“This is only going to help the real estate lobby and destroy the very face of our beautiful Goa. The ulterior motive behind this can be gauged from the fact that most villages declared urban are along the river/sea, and by declaring them as urban, these villages will be classified as CRZ II and will thus allow tall buildings and massive construction all along these villages,” he said. Fernandes said that Goencho Avaaz will take up the fight.
