PANJIM: The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Board on Tuesday approved the Regional Plan 21 (RP21) for Pernem taluka, which includes converting an area of five kilometers radius around the proposed international airport at Mopa into a Planning and Development Authority (PDA).
With the December 31 deadline approaching, the State government is set to notify the Regional Plan 2021 (RP21) for Canacona, Sattari and Pernem talukas latest by Thursday. Earlier this month, the board had approved the land use plan for Cancaona and Sattari talukas.
Speaking to Herald after the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for TCP Francis D’Souza confirmed that the Board has approved the Pernem RP. “We had received 1000 objections and suggestions from the people, of which only 6 percent have been considered by the State Level Steering Committee,” D’Souza said.
“As per the guidelines set by the committee, we have not touched the areas under coastal regulation zone (CRZ), forest cover, or other protected areas. They are been kept as they are,” he added.
Speaking about the Mopa PDA, D’Souza said the airport area needs to be properly planned.
“The requirement of planning for this area is different and hence it was decided to develop it under PDA. The authority will take a call on it,” he said, adding that the PDA would be independent from the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA). Asked when the three plans would be notified, he said “latest by Thursday”.
“Before December 31, we will notify all these three plans,” he said and added that the ground study and self correction of the other nine talukas is in process.
There were 6500 applications received with comments and suggestion, most of which were from Salcete (1260) and Bardez (1030).
The government has been facing criticism over its failure to notify the land use plan. The government had initially promised to scrap the existing plan and draft a new one in consultation with stakeholders. However, it later decided to continue with the same plan but with modifications.
