PANJIM, MARCH 23
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has declined to give the time frame by which Regional Plan – RP 2021 -would be notified.
“As a lot of technical work is to be carried out and as a lot of co-relation with plans submitted by panchayats is required, no time frame can be established by now, says the written reply of the chief minister to a question tabled by Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza.
About 8600 comments have been received from the public with regards to the plan but no suggestions and objections have been accepted till date, Kamat said.
Total area in sq kilometres as showen in the Regional Plan 2021 which can be termed as eco-sensitive for Eco-I is 1994.31 sq km and for Eco-II it is 973.33 sq km, disclosed Chief Minister.
The sub-committee of the State Level Committee on Regional Plan for Goa 2021 is working on finalisation of the plan, he informed in response to another question.
The draft regional plan defines eco-sensitive zone as one which has areas rich in bio-diversity that need total conservation whereas eco-sensitive Zone includes areas that needs to be protected from indiscriminate development.
For instance, mangrove forest, private forest, water bodies, paddy fields and khazan land comprise eco-sensitive zone; orchards, cultivable land, salt pans and fish farms fall under Eco II zone.
