Says Bill seeks to allow development on hill slope, fields, khazan lands etc
PANJIM, JULY 25
Goa Bachao Abhiyan has strongly objected to the proposed introduction of a new Bill to amend the Goa Town and Country Planning Act in the current session of the Goa Legislative Assembly.
In the press note issued here, this new Bill seeks to throw open hill slopes, fields, khazan lands, low lying areas and water bodies for construction which are presently prohibited under Section 17A of Goa TCP Act 1974, expressly to protect the hill slopes and fields against ‘conversion’ for construction.
“This Bill is totally opposite to the demand made by GBA to freeze construction on eco-sensitive zones,” the press note read.
It further says that the proposed Goa TCP [Amendment] Bill, 2010 is being hurriedly pushed by the Goa Government to undo the safeguards added to the Goa, Daman & Diu TCP Act, 1974 through the insertion of subsections 2 and 3 in Section 17A. This Bill puts the slopes and fields at risk of “development” once again.
The three objectives of the proposed amendment are, need to specify Authorities to implement provision regarding punitive measures, enable Government to frame Rules and Regulations for implementation of provisions under 17A and to do away with ‘Undue control’ and scope for ambiguity implied in the present provisions under 17A.
“The proposed Bill is totally silent on the first two objectives, whereas, under the third objective, it has introduced two sub sections, which removes the condition of seeking permissions from TCP under Section 17A,” it said urging the MLAs to object the proposed Bill.
The GBA suspects the proposed Goa TCP [Amendment] Bill, 2010 for it may allow illegal constructions and constructions, which are prohibited while the finalisation of RP 2021 is constantly delayed.
“A similar amendment to section 16/ 16A was brought about to bring in projects through the back door to bypass the Regional Plan 2021 process for the Government’s projects, many of them outsourced to private organisations,” the NGO alleges.
The GBA demanded that the proposed TCP Amendment Bill be junked, and instead the TCP Act review committee should be asked to give its recommendations in a stipulated time frame, through a consultative process which includes a bottom-to-top planning process and revocation of section 16/16A.
