TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Contrary to the widely held belief, the Regional Plan 2021 is neither in abeyance nor is it scrapped and the government does not intend to prepare a ‘new’ Regional Plan for Goa but only desires to make corrections to the existing plans, replies submitted to the Goa Assembly revealed.
These revelations makes this government’s attitude towards the Regional Plan no different from the previous Congress government, which has also promised to effect corrections to the notified plan and had even begun a process of consultation with various village groups on the issue.
The controversial eco tourism zones therefore continue to remain in the plan with six of them being notified. “The government is not intending to prepare a new Regional Plan for Goa. However, the task of corrections in the Regional Plan for Goa 2021 will be taken up soon as per procedure prescribed in the Town and Country Planning Act,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is also the Town and Country Planning Minister told Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco on Friday.
Reginaldo had sought the time frame and the procedure to be followed to formulate the new Regional Plan, presuming that a new plan would be formulated.
Further, to a question from Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane on whether the Regional Plan was kept in abeyance and for what period, Parrikar replied, “government has not kept Regional Plan for Goa 2021 in abeyance.”
That there is confusion and no clarity on the issue of the Regional Plan is evident from the fact that even legislators are asking questions like: “Whether the new Regional Plan 2021 is going to be a totally new plan with a newer approach and fresh consultations both at micro and macro levels or if it is going to be the same old wine in a new bottle,” as posed by Opposition MLA Mauvin Godinho.
Government’s reply that it will “soon be taken up for genuine corrections/rectifications” vindicated the latter part of Godinho’s question.
Village groups especially the Goa Bachao Abhiyan have already expressed that this government’s view on the matter is no different than the previous governments.
The BJP in its manifesto had promised to draw up a new Regional Plan taking into consideration the views of all stakeholders. Later, then Governor K Sankaranarayanan’s address outlining the new government’s agenda, had once again reiterated the government’s intentions of bringing out a “new plan”.
Currently the government is following a policy of “Regional Plan for Goa 2021 read with Regional Plan for Goa 2001 for land use” when it comes to giving permissions.
