The backlash against Section 39A of the Goa Town and Country Plan ning Act continues to inten sify across the State, with Baga hill emerging as the latest flashpoint in what res idents describe as a system atic assault on Goa’s fragile ecology. Over 800 residents from Calangute and Arpora have petitioned the Chief Town Planner (CTP), opposing the proposed conversion of 65,310 square metres of land on Baga hill into set tlement zone under Section 39A. The parcels are cur rently classified as no-de velopment slope, orchard, private forest and natural cover in the Regional Plan 2021. Villagers argue that what is being projected as ‘devel opment’ amounts to a steady dilution of the statutory safeguards built into the Re gional Plan. “It is apparent that the TCP Board is proceeding to permit large-scale destruc tion of hill slopes and areas under natural cover. Such changes will irreversibly damage the village environ ment, disturb the ecological balance, and increase the risk of landslides, flooding, and loss of biodiversity,” said Premanand Divkar, the com plainant representing the villagers. The objection concerns proposed zoning changes for properties bearing Survey Nos. 254/1 (part), 260/5, 266/2 and 76/0 of Calangute village, and 57/1A (plots 1, 3, 5, 6) of Arpora-Nagoa village, notified through multiple public and gazette notifications earlier this year. Residents contend that the increasing use of Section 39A — originally projected as a corrective provision — has effectively become a parallel route to bypass the Regional Plan framework. “We, the citizens of Calangute constituency, demand that the government reject all zoning change applications filed under Section 39A of the TCP Act and scrap Section 39-A completely, as it is being misused to destroy agricultural land, hills, forests and village ecology. The recommenda tions made by the TCP Board appear to be in the interest of the builders’ lobby and real estate interests,” Divkar said. Significantly, the opposition extends beyond individu al petitioners. A gram sabha of the Arpora-Nagoa Village Panchayat on February 22 unanimously resolved to reject all applications for change of zoning received under Section 39A within its jurisdiction. “A gram sabha of Arpora-Nagoa Village Panchayat on 22/02/26 expressed its serious concern over the misuse of Section 39A of the TCP Act for indiscriminate change of zoning and unanimously resolved to reject all applications for change of zoning received under Section 39-A within the jurisdiction of the Arpora-Nagoa Village Panchayat for the properties bearing the mentioned survey numbers,” the complaint states. Villagers view the Baga hill proposal as part of a broader pattern that has sparked protests in multiple constituen cies, where ecologically sensitive lands — including slopes and orchards — are being pushed towards settlement sta tus through executive notifications rather than comprehen sive planning exercises. “This proposal is yet another attempt to dilute the Re gional Plan under the garb of ‘development’, while the real beneficiaries remain private interests. The proposed change to settlement zone defeats the very objective of planned development and conservation envisaged under the Regional Plan.” As disquiet over Section 39A deepens, Baga now joins a growing list of localities where residents are challenging a State-backed fast-track mechanism for land conversion.
800 sign petition against Baga hill rezoning
