MARGAO: The Village Group of Goa (VGG) has unequivocally condemned the government for trampling on the rights of Goan people to decide and plan the land use for their villages.
The BJP government had stated in its election manifesto that they would scrap RP 2021 within 100 days of coming to power; and the governor in his maiden address to the house had also reiterated the government’s promise to scrap RP 2021.
However, the VGG claims that in yet another of umpteen ‘U’ turns, the government has now decided to accept objections and suggestions without stipulating any guidelines or criteria. The government has also not defined what sort of suggestions or objections shall be considered.
“The entire exercise appears to be yet another farce with a concocted plan to regularize the fraudulently notified plan and to push through further inclusions in the RP2021 as per whims and fancies of the political masters who are in collusion real estate, builder and hotel lobby,” said Zarinha Da’Cunha, VGG president.
“Time and again VGG has submitted memorandums/complaints to the TCP and chief minister/TCP minister and also addressed press conferences highlighting the fraudulent acts committed by the SLC and TCP Board in the finalization of the notified RP2021. Eminent town planner of national repute Edgar Ribeiro who resigned from the SLC during the finalization process due to the arbitrary manner of functioning of the SLC, has stated in his letter dated December 3, 2011, addressed to the chief secretary that the SLC have overshot their brief in formulating the finalized 2021 RP and that the RP 2021 needs urgent revisit though de-notifications,” she reminded.
VGG has once again demanded de-notification of the fraudulent 2021 RP wherein fraudulent and arbitrary insertions have been made by the SLC as per dictates of their political masters and/or for monetary considerations. VGG demands that the arbitrary inclusions which are out of the planning parameters like the eco-tourism, golf courses, marinas, helipads, MIZs, additional industrial estates, general industries, quarries, etc be sent to respective villages to be approved by gram sabhas as such concepts were neither recommended by the VLC’s nor were proposed by task force in the draft RP. Information provided under RTI reveals that the SLC have not prepared and maintained any notings/remarks justifying the said inclusions made by them at finalization stage in the notified 2021 RP.
“The IBP (investment promotion board) should be scrapped as it is nothing but blatant abuse of power and a window to approve violations to notified RP and plans to loot our meagre land and environmental resources. It is another tentacle to bypass the RP besides the 16 & 16a amendment to the TCP Act and both should also be scrapped forthwith,” VGG said.
The VGG further mentioned that once the RP 2021 stands notified, there cannot be another window to bypass the RP to push through projects as per whims and fancies of the government in the feign garb of development.
