Team Herald
PANJIM: Calling upon Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to protect flood-prone areas and save Panjimites from danger, the Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA), a group focused on environmental protection and civic activism in Goa, voiced strong opposition to the rezoning of flood-prone areas in Panjim, stating that the rezoning would allow multi-story constructions with increased Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 300 and a height of 40 metres. The GBA demanded the areas be reverted to their original zoning.
Addressing a press conference, former CCP councillor Patricia Pinto and GBA convenor Sabina Martins said, “We, the people of Panjim and Goa need to live life without fear of flooding. We have seen cloudburst wrecking in Jammu and Kashmir a few days ago. Just a cloudburst will get Panjim flooded. We welcome the TCP Minister’s idea of afforestation, but at the same time as the TCP Minister please look into the issue of rezoning of all flood-prone areas of Panjim which is against the order of the Chief Town Planner and against CRZ laws in force. Please revert these areas into their existing zoning and then we will know you are really serious about greening urban areas.”
Marked as recreational area also known as Quarterdeck as per the Outline development Plan (ODP) of Panjim, Pinto said that the government has proposed to allow a multi-Storey construction by increasing the FAR (floor area ratio) from 5 per cent to 300 per cent and height of 40 metres.
She alleged that this was done to establish an entertainment hub to cater to visitors of casinos and despite knowing that it is a flood-prone area. The TCP Department is breaking its own order and going against the CRZ regulations in force.
The GBA also opposed the zone changing for the proposed ‘Passenger Ropeway Project” from the government swimming pool, Campal to the Reis Magos across River Mandovi along with ancillary tourism activities. The government has acquired 8,000 square metres of land at Reis Magos to construct buildings for the ropeway project and it will require felling of trees, Pinto said.
The ancillary tourism activities proposed are artificial skiing, artificial skydiving, scuba diving, aquarium, a restaurant and a kids zone activities, she said, adding, “Do we need this overcrowded Panjim? We don’t want these artificial activities, but Panjim to be natural.”
The GBA further opposed the change of public/institutional zone to 300 FAR and a height of 40 metres to allow construction of a private commercial venture near Miramar beach, the area which is partly flood-prone.
Pinto and Martins also appealed to the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to protect flood-prone areas and save Panjimites from danger. The objectives of CRZ laws are to promote development in a sustainable manner on scientific principles taking into account dangers of natural hazards in coastal areas and sea level rise due to global warming. The government should strictly implement CRZ laws and should not grant approval blindly and under pressure, they stated appealing to the GCZMA to protect flood-prone areas.
The GBA has appealed to the TCP Minister to retain recreational zones and to respect flood-prone areas a notified by the GCZMA and further to remove the increased FAR and height, which is unsustainable by any count.