Save Goa’s Nature & Future: Chorus for new Regional Plan grows louder
Team Herald
PANJIM: Strongly opposing the piece-meal amendments to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, activists and people demanded at a meeting in Bambolim on Friday that the government formulate a new Regional Plan 2031 with public participation.
The speakers also opposed large-scale land conversions and indiscriminate hill cutting in several parts of the State and vowed to fight to protect Goa’s environment from illegal land conversions and destruction.
Continuing the “Save Goa’s Nature, Goa’s Future” campaign, the activists and others gathered near Fulancho Khuris (Holy Cross Shrine), Bambolim along the national highway 66.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) State president Adv Amit Palekar alleged that the government by keeping the Regional Plan 2021 in abeyance was bringing amendments to the TCP Act and permitting large scale change of zone and land conversions and hill cuttings.
He demanded that the government should prepare a new plan. He demanded that the piece-meal development and conversions be stopped and that a sustainable new Regional Plan be prepared.
Velim MLA Cruz Silva too spoke about destruction of the environment and demanded preparation of a new Regional Plan by a participatory planning process And to protect Goa for future generations.
Activists Swapnesh Sherlekar, Samil Volvoikar, Tanoj Adwalpalkar, Glen Cabral, Abhijit Prabhudesai, Ramarao Wagh, Cecille Rodrigues, Mariano Ferrao, Diana Tavares, Narayan Naik, former MLA Victor Gonsalves and others spoke.
The speakers expressed their concern over the increasing number of land registrations by outsiders in the Sub-Registrar’s office at Mapusa.
The ratio of people coming from other States to Goa and buying properties was high. The activists demanded that the government should make it difficult for people from other States to buy properties in Goa.
The activists alleged that orchard and agricultural lands were converted for construction of buildings and hotels without considering the pressure on existing infrastructure.
Diana Tavares said that the government authorities were in favour of Regional Plan 2021. It was freezed in June 2012 and again opened in 2018 even as it was opposed by the people. She said that the broad roads, casinos and golf courses have been marked in the Regional Plan. Comparing RP 2001 and 2021, Tavares said 1.33 crore land was converted as settlement in Pernem taluka, while 0.82 crore sq mt of land was added as settlement in Canacona taluka, 1.79 crore sqs mt land in Ponda taluka, 1.24 crore sq mts land in Sattari taluka , 0.37 crore sq mt land in Quepem taluka, 1.38 crore sq mt land in Bicholim taluka, 1.42 crore sq mt land in Dharbandora taluka, 2.85 crore sq mt land in Bardez taluka, 0.90 crore land in Tiswadi taluka and 0.44 crore land in Salcete taluka. Thus the total land converted into settlement was approximately 13.06 crore square metres.
Tavares further said that cultivable area decreased by 22.2 crore in the last 20 years. The cultivable area which was 70.7 crore sq mts in 2001 declined to 48.5 crore sq mts in 2021. Also orchard land had dropped by 27.5 crore sq mts by using sections 17 (2) and 39 A of the TCP Act. Also 50 crore sq mts of land which was declared as eco-sensitive areas has been converted.