Land acquisition plan by Dec-end,says Kamat
Development in eco zones banned
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, DEC 8
Assuring that losers of land for government projects would be suitably compensated, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said that the State’s land acquisition policy would be completed by December-end.
Disclosing this at a press conference, Kamat said the government is considering bringing in a policy to suitably compensate the persons whose lands are acquired for public projects.
“As an immediate step it has been decided to set up a mechanism which will ensure a proper and commensurate rate to be paid in respect of acquired lands,” he said.
Kamat added, “It is proposed to continue that apart from market rate a suitable annuity should also be paid for a period of 20 years in respect of agricultural and orchard land.”
“A committee is set up under the chairmanship of the chairman, Law Commission with both collectors as its members to determine the market rate in various areas and method for computation of annuity,” he said.
The chief minister further said that the government expects to declare the above measure this year itself.
“The policy would be finalized this month itself so that it can be implemented from 2011,” he said.
Meanwhile, quashing reports that the criteria of eco-sensitive zones would apply only to Pernem and Canacona, plans of which are notified, Kamat said that development in these areas had been stopped about six months ago prior to the implementation of RP 2021.
Kamat said that the Town and Country Planning board meeting held on April 16, 2010 had decided to ban development in eco-sensitive zones.
“Accordingly a circular was issued on May 17 banning development or construction in notified forest, private forest identified by the Karapurkar committee and Sawant committee, sloppy land having gradient more than 25 per cent, mangroves areas, water bodies, cultivated paddy fields (low lying and presently under cultivation),” Kamat stated.
Chief Town Planner Morad Ahmed reportedly clarified to a local TV news channel on Monday that the criteria of eco-sensitive zones applied only to Pernem and Canacona, plans of which are notified.
Admitting 80% of land mass of the State was earmarked as eco-sensitive zone (Eco-I and Eco-II), Ahmed expressed helplessness and stated the eco criteria will not apply to the remaining nine talukas till their surface utilisation plans were notified.
Kamat further said that a committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava has been constituted to look into the issues of Regional Plan, which is being notified in phased manner.
He said that secretary, Town and Country Planning, managing director Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), director PPP and chief town planner are the members of the committee.
He said the confusion is only because the remaining nine talukas (except Pernem and Canacona) have not been mapped with survey numbers.
“Once this is done all the problems would be sorted out,” he said.
