VASCO: The High Court of Bombay at Goa issued notices on a public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition filed by NGO Goa Foundation and villagers from Chicalim, challenging the legality of the Vasco Land Use Register and Map (LURM) adopted by the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA).
Chicalim Bio-Crusaders convenor Cyril Fernandes said that the PIL writ petition challenged the resolution of the MPDA adopting the LURM for the Vasco planning area notified in the Goa Gazette dated December 5, 2019 under Section 27 of the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, 1974.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
“The Land Use and Map exercise has been purportedly carried out pursuant to an illegal order dated December 28, 2018 issued by the MPDA to the Chief Town Planner (Planning) of TCP Department. The impugned order requires the respondent authorities to prepare a Land Use Register in connection with the modification of the Vasco Development Plan (ODP) in force,” said Fernandes, who is also one of the petitioners.
The petitioners have also challenged the actual Vasco Land Use Register and Map prepared and adopted by the MPDA due to gross errors in the LURM, violation of norms laid down in the Act, arbitrary and colourable exercise of power and large scale manipulations carried out at the behest of the real estate lobby. The entire exercise was contrary to public interest, environmental and town planning norms and affecting rights of petitioners to a planned environment under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, Fernandes said.
The matter has now been posted for further hearing on January 11.
