PANJIM: Political analyst Trajano D’Mello has demanded immediate scrapping of the Ordinance validating ODPs of Calangute, Candolim, Arpora-Nagoa and Parra villages and assented by the Governor which deprives people from approaching the Judiciary.
Trajano reminded that after BJP government came back to power in March 2022, the TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane issued a notification on April 27, 2022, keeping the ODPs on hold wherein lakhs of land of various zones were converted to settlement zones in these five villages. In July 2022, the Minister submitted a report on the ODPs in the Legislative Assembly, highlighting the various observation like lack of planning exercise, zone changes made arbitrarily; reclassified eco-sensitive areas to developable zones and tenanted paddy fields converted into settlement zones, besides other illegalities.
But on December 22, 2022, the TCP department issued a circular instructing its North District office to issue zoning certificates and other licences as per the withdrawn ODPs of five villages. “There was clear evidence of corruption in the zoning changes, the ODPs were withdrawn, and Ordinance effectively legitimised acts of corruption,” Trajano said adding that the circular was challenged in the Court by the Goa Foundation.
After the High Court stayed the operation of the ‘illegal’ circular dated December 22, 2002 and stated that with respect to these villages, the TCP Minister, proposed an Ordinance to overrule the Court order. The hurried approval of the Ordinance by the Cabinet goes to prove that all are partners in crime.
Trajano alleged that said every amendment to the TCP Act had to do with zone conversions. He also criticised the Governor for assenting the Ordinance which deprived the legitimate/constitutional right of the people of challenging such approvals in any Court.
“What was the urgency, and could it not wait for the next Assembly session? Why the Governor also fell into the government’s dictate?” asked Trajano.
