Govt failed to keep plans for public scrutiny: GBA

PANJIM, NOV 30
The Goa Bachao Abhiyan on Tuesday said the Government had not acceded to its demand of keeping the finalised plans for public scrutiny for 30 days prior to notification. 
It chided the Government further saying attempts by it to get the CDs containing notified regional plans of Pernem and Canacona had borne no fruit and it finally managed to get the same from someone else.
It is now holding a discussion on the notified plans on December 5 at Institute Piedade Hall, here, at 10.30 am, where it has invited concerned citizens to see the plans and share their view points. 
GBA Convenor Sabina Martins maintained the officials at the Town and Country Planning Department claimed the CDs containing the notified plans were exhausted. 
“When asked for the village plans of the notified talukas, we were quoted a price of Rs 400 per village plan that worked out to Rs 8,000 for taluka plan of Pernem which comprises 20 villages”, she observed.
Martins said the maps were also not uploaded on the website and charged further, “None of the villages of the two talukas have received the finalised village plans, even though the Government announced immediate implementation of the same. The villagers are expected to go to the taluka office to pursue this matter”.
The Convenor has expressed her displeasure over discarding of the VP3 status of 50 FAR (floor area ratio) that was given to the panchayat in the draft RP 2021. This has been done without informing the people, she stated.       
She said many villages had opted for lower FAR to protect their identities by avoiding rapid urbanisation. “Many villages have been placed in ODP areas without their consent making a mockery of the so-called participatory process”, she charged.
She maintained the GBA was apprehensive over the concept of new micro-industrial zones in villages which were not mentioned in the draft RP2021. Some of the policies which have land-use implications were not made public prior to notification of the plans, she stated.
Martins lambasted further, “The Government has declared the VP status of all villages in the State and announced its immediate implementation. However, most villages are unaware of the status accorded to them”.
She has appealed to people to come to view the plan and take part in the discussion to give their opinions.