GBA for 24×7 flying squads

PANJIM, MAY 28
Reviewing the government’s response to its demands over protection of land from indiscriminate hill cutting, filling of land, etc, Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) today felt that the government has failed to keep its commitment on several pending issues and decided to hold a meeting along with villagers to chalk out future course of action.
On the setting up of ‘flying squads’, GBA demanded that they should be available 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
GBA at its core group meeting on May 27, took stock of the demands raised at the structured meeting with the TCP Secretary Mr R Yaduvanshi that were met and those still pending with the government and also reviewed the Orders and Circulars issued by the Government of Goa to bring into effect some of its commitments to the people of Goa in order to protect the land from indiscriminate hill cutting, land filling and other forms of “development” that is opposed by the people. The meeting decided to call a meeting along with villagers to chalk out the future course of action.
To stop the illegal hill cutting and filling of low lying land the Government had constituted the flying squad. However, currently, the flying squads are available only during office hours and touring around their jurisdiction on holidays as per the order.
The GBA  demands that the “flying squads” should be at work 24 hours a day and seven days a week as hill cutting and land filling goes on at all hours especially after working hours.  The necessary instructions should be issued in writing to the concerned authorities, demanded convenor.
GBA   had also demanded a total freeze on constructions in eco sensitive zones marked in draft RP 2021 as well as those existing, irrespective of its status in RP2001. However the Order issued by Government has not addressed this issue but instead, formed a committee to examine proposals for constructions on eco sensitive zones shown as settlement or industrial zones in RP 2001 which is now operational.
FIELDS: The eco-sensitive zones list ‘cultivated fields” instead of ‘cultivated and uncultivated fields’ which gives scope for construction, if a person intentionally keeps the field uncultivated.
GBA demands that the Government, issue a notification with immediate effect to stop all constructions in eco-sensitive zones marked in the draft RP 2021 which includes all cultivated and uncultivated  fields.
NO REPORT: While the Government had assured that a fortnightly report on the progress of the RP2021 would be given, no such progress or report is made public.
 The two taluka plans which were supposed to be made public every month as per the timeline of completing the Plan in six months is not adhered to.
Even after 3 months of the assurance, the two taluka plans are not yet out.
REVIEW PANEL: The Government announced the formation of a committee to review the TCP Act, no head way has been made.  The copy of that order was not made available. No progress has also been reported in holding the first meeting of the committee constituted to review the Goa TCP Act, 1974 in order to replace it with an Act in sync with Article 243 as amended by the 73rd and 74th amendments of 1992.  
HERITAGE PANEL: The Government has issued an order constituting the heritage committee in response to the demand to protect heritage structures. While it is stated that the NGOs would get a hearing, no representation was given to heritage activists in the committee.
VIOLATIONS: The GBA and village groups had submitted a list of on going violations to the secretary. The action taken report is still awaited.
Although the Secretary TCP had reiterated at the start of the structured meeting of 21 April, 2010,  that the minutes meeting would be recorded and action would be taken as a consequence thereof, it is regretted that the Chief Town Planner has denied the existence of any such minutes in a written reply.
It may be recalled that 35 members representing village groups, NGOs, civil society organizations from all over Goa, including Goa Bachao Abhiyan led by Convener of GBA, attended a structured meeting with the Goa Administration chaired by the TCP Secretary at the conference hall of the new Secretariat Complex.