Govt failed to concede to our demands: GBA
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, NOV 25
A day after the Government notified Regional Plan 2021 for Pernem and Canacona, Goa Bachao Abhiyan’s (GBA) early reaction is that the Government failed to concede to their demands.
Convener Sabina Martins told Herald that GBA had asked the Government to display the guidelines for public viewing before finalising the plan, which was not met.
Senior Town Planner T Putturaj on Wednesday had said that these notifications will come into force for implementation immediately and that the Gazette notification is sent to the Government Printing Press.
“GBA had made a representation that the notification will be given 30 days space for the knowledge of the people before finalising it. But this demand was also taken into consideration,” Martins said.
The list of grievances also speaks about the district plan which is yet to be notified besides absence of VP 3 status in both notifications. Martins however said that GBA is yet to study both notifications thoroughly.
“From newspaper reports, the government says only VP 1 and VP 2 will be taken. This is despite the fact that villagers in large numbers had asked for VP 3,” she added.
The convener alleged that the entire process is because few politicians demanded for land conversion using the bottom up process.
“This is nothing but an undemocratic practice to deny people planning rights,” she said.
In the same breath, she acknowledged that the notifications have protected eco-sensitive zones. “But we need to see how much of eco-sensitive zones are identified and protected,” she further said.
State-level committee members meanwhile said that plans for Ponda and Sattari were almost ready and the same would be taken up for notification soon.
