PANJIM: The Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) has appealed to all elected representatives to object to The Goa Town and Country Planning (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2024, introduced in the Legislative Assembly, in the backdrop of Court staying all the illegal permissions in the Outline Development Plans (ODPs) areas of Calangute, Candolim, Parra, Arpora and Nagoa.

They also said that the bill is an epitome of bad planning that will lead to disasters like the Wayanad landslide devastation.

“We have seen the damaged caused by the bad planning, and the present example is Wayanad landslide which killed over 300 people. If we do not act now, it will be the turn of people of Goa to go under. It is the bounden duty of elected representatives to object the Bill, which is not in the interest of Goa,” the GBA convenor, Sabina Martins, said.

The GBA convenor stated that the three clauses inserted in the Bill were highly objectionable. Section 19 of the Bill states that if the ODPs are scrapped, suspended and planning areas withdrawn, then the ODPs will still remain in force till new the new ODPs were prepared.

Due to this Section, all illegal permissions given as the per the ODPs will remain in force.

“The validation clause states that the permissions given in the aforesaid five areas cannot be challenged in the courts of law. This is unconstitutional, as it takes away the rights of the people,” Martins said.

The new Bill makes the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department supreme and it can grant approvals and all the departments will be subservient to it. The TCP Department will be supreme like the Chief Minister holding all the portfolios with him.

“This is also likely to increase illegal deals and this is objectionable as this Bill will takes away powers of all the authorities and also other State’s laws like the Goa Wetland Act, Command Area Act, which protects the ecosystem of the place,” Martins said.