PANJIM: As the tussle over the Regional Plan escalates, there is a rumbling that possibly, the earlier government was more open to suggestions than this one. As stakeholders struggle to meet the Chief Minister, some recalled the structured meeting of the representatives of the people led by GBA and officials of Goa administration led by secretary to the chief minister & secretary (TCP, Forests, WRD, Mines) held on April 21, 2010 at the Secretariat.
According to ST Putturaju, senior town planner himself, the State Level Committee and its sub-committees were over-laying and analysing inputs given by the Village Panchayats, Municipalities (Maps, Plans and documents) and individuals as almost 8,500-plus questionnaires not including requests for zone changes, were submitted.
At the meeting were members representing Village Groups, NGOs, Civil Society Organizations including Goa Bachao Abhiyan led by Dr Sabina Martins, Convener of GBA, and chaired by Rajeev Yaduvanshi, IAS, Secretary to the CM and Secretary (TCP, Forests, WRD, Mines and Public Grievances), at the Secretariat Conference Hall.
The structured meeting was agreed to by the Chief Minister of Goa when a delegation of GBA and others held discussions with him, the Secretary to CM and Chief Town Planner on April 15, 2010.
The Administration was represented by Rajeev Yaduvanshi, Secretary to the CM and TCP Secretary, Menino D’Souza, Director of Panchayats, Morad Ahmad, Chief Town Planner, ST Puttaraju, Senior Town Planner and Nodal Officer, task Force on RP-2021, Architect Dean D’Cruz, Member of State Level Committee and Chairman for Sub-Committee for Taluka Plans of Canacona and Sanguem and others.
The NGOs were represented by Dr Sabina Martins, Convenor Goa Bachao Abhiyan, Dr Claude Alvares, Goa Foundation, and others to represent these groups: tribal communities of Gawda, Kunbi and Velips and protection of tribal lands, villagers of Verna, with water issues near Industrial Estates, the Chicalim Villagers Action Committee, the Benaulim Villagers Action Committee and others.
Yaduvanshi committed that the meeting would be minuted and action would be taken as a consequence thereof. Martins informed him that the Joint Secretary of GBA would also record and maintain the minutes and the same could be reconciled.
At the meeting the GBA had put forward the view expressed by the village groups, NGOs and GBA members that the first priority was zero tolerance to violations of the rules supposed to be enforced by the Administration. Responsibilities need to be fixed and action initiated against the corrupt and the incompetent to remedy the situation on a war footing.
Yaduvanshi assured that he would send a note to the concerned departments and initiate action to stop all such violations within one week from date.
Puttaraju made a presentation about the “Criteria” adopted by the TCP Department and the State Level Committee.
John Philip Pereira, Edwin Mascarenhas, Abhijit Prabhudesai and Xavier Fernandes requested that Comunidade-owned hills and plateaus be included in the “Ecological landscapes”.
Martins wanted a time-line to do it and Miguel Braganza suggested that the milestones be specified and the goal posts fixed.
Yaduvanshi said that the Chief Minister had committed to a timeline of six months for the completion of the Regional Plan 2021.
People Proposed
First priority was zero tolerance to violations of the rules to be enforced by the Govt
Responsibility to be fixed and action initiated against the corrupt to remedy the situation on a war footing
Comunidade-owned hills and plateaus be included in the ‘Ecological landscapes’, milestones be specified and goal posts fixed
Govt committed action would be initiated to stop all such violations within one week from the meeting
Chief Minister had committed to a timeline of six months for the completion of the RP 2021
