MARGAO: Raising voices against controversial changes to Goa’s land-use laws, the Carmona gram sabha unanimously passed a strongly-worded resolution voicing strident opposition to the recent Amendment 39A to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act. This amendment has sparked widespread concerns by allowing for the conversion of land zones, especially agricultural and field areas, into settlement zones across the State.
In other key discussions at the gram sabha, the villagers also objected to a proposed 10-metre road next to the village church, which has raised fears about potential impacts on this heritage structure and surrounding areas. In another significant matter, Sarpanch Sandra Fernandes stated that the panchayat had acted swiftly regarding the viral video about alleged CRZ violations in the Carmona-based property owned by Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira. She said that the panchayat had received a letter from the Benaulim MLA based on which, the panchayat had issued a stop-work order to the work being carried out in that property.
Moreover, in a proactive step towards environmental conservation, the gram sabha resolved to plant fruit trees and conduct a comprehensive tree audit in coordination with the local biodiversity management committee and Forest
Department.
Earlier, the TCP-related resolution adopted by the Carmona gram sabha objected to the piecemeal conversion of zones to suit private players’ interests, such as permitting farmhouses in designated agricultural lands. It also criticized the amendment for concentrating powers to approve such conversions solely with
the chief town planner, rather than involving broader public participation and oversight in the decision-making process.
“We object to the insertion of Amendment 39A into the TCP Act and demand it be withdrawn immediately,” stated the resolution, which outlined five key reasons for opposing the controversial amendment. Firstly, it bypasses the fundamental principle of considering public interest as the basis for such significant zone changes that can reshape landscapes. Secondly, it overrides constitutional rights for local community participation in planning processes as per the 73rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution.
The resolution highlighted that the TCP amendment encourages corruption by concentrating conversion approval powers in the hands of a single authority, keeping the public in the dark about proposed changes until the last stages. Additionally, it reduces the already limited time period for the public to register objections to proposed zoning conversions. Perhaps most crucially, the gram sabha noted the amendment lacks adequate checks and balances for environmental protection.
The resolution firmly states, “We strongly believe that the proposed section 39(A) encourages bribery, corruption and land conversions against public interest, which we, the people of village panchayat Carmona, outright reject.”
Copies of the resolution will be forwarded to the Governor, Chief Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Prime Minister of India, and other authorities to ‘highlight that the TCP Department is tarnishing the image of the State’ through such controversial amendments.
