PANJIM: Welcoming the withdrawal of the controversial Town and Country Planning (Amendment and Validation) Bill 2024, the Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) has demanded that the TCP Minister start the process of preparation of a new Regional Plan by implementing a participatory planning process immediately.
The GBA stated that it was praise worthy that MLAs cutting across party lines raised people’s concerns in response to GBA’s call. This is proof that people’s power prevails in democracy, said GBA convenor Sabina Martins.
The GBA has called upon the people to be vigilant of the land conversions in their area and report to authorities concerned. The government should improvise on its implementation mechanisms to prevent illegalities.
The GBA called upon the elected members and the ministers to be conversant with the prevalent laws to protect eco-sensitive zones and the Act. Martins said that the GBA was shocked to hear that the TCP and Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane stating in the Legislative Assembly that he had not gone through the important Madhav Gadgil report and sought to downplay the concerns raised by Leader of the Opposition and others, that Goa is heading the Wayanad way in the present circumstances. This is unbecoming of a minister, who is expected to hold the responsibility to safeguard the lives and property of the people of Goa through scientific planning.
“We strongly demand that the Section 17 (2) and 39 A of TCP be withdrawn immediately and the changes made be reverted. The minister should make public the complete data of all changes including the name of the applicants, names of the registered professionals, area change, location and the maps showing the changed zone and context as he had promised at the end of the day of the Assembly proceedings yesterday, but failed to do so. We demand that the TCP Minister starts the process for a new Regional Plan as per the Constitutional mandate,” stated Martins.
The Department needs to update the TCP website with all the minutes and data, as the same has not been uploaded since August 2023.
The GBA deplored the “father knows best” attitude of the TCP Minister whereby he has asked the MLAs to meet him personally with respect to the controversial changes made and ‘he’ will solve their problems on a case to case basis. It reiterated its demand for a new Regional Plan, prepared with people’s participation as envisioned in the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment.
The government should take necessary steps to implement a participatory planning process, as outlined in chapter 5 of the Regional Plan 2021.
The GBA said, “The people are empowered to make their plans and the knowledge of the public should not be underestimated, as one of the MLAs rightly said that today people understand issues like zoning, FAR and carrying capacity. We should tap local knowledge and prepare a plan that benefits everyone.”
