Team Herald
PANJIM: With several wrongdoings such as conversion of tenanted, khazan and no-development lands in the Outline Development Plans (ODPs) coming to light, Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vishwajit Rane said that people involved in violation of the Land Revenue Code and TCP Act, will be criminally prosecuted.
In a series of tweets, which came following a complaint filed by Goa Foundation, Rane also hinted at the possible removal of Parra, Nagao, Candolim and Calangute from the jurisdiction of the Planning and Development Areas (PDAs) and reverting them to their original status.
He also assured to table a comprehensive report on the Floor of the House highlighting all the illegalities and irregularities involving the ODPs.
The TCP Department has received a complaint from Goa Foundation pertaining to the notified ODP of Arpora designating tenanted agricultural lands as settlement or commercial zones, which, according to Rane, is in explicit violation of the Agricultural Tenancy Act and the Goa Land Use Act 1991.
The Minister said that conversion of tenanted land is not permissible by law and it is a violation of Land Revenue Code and the officials of TCP cannot allow this.
The Minister said that such orders of the PDA amount to diversion of the areas from agriculture to non-agriculture and are of criminal nature and added that the department will initiate strict action.
“After such wrongdoings being highlighted, our decision to suspend ODPs speaks volumes. Several people have been involved in violation of the Land Revenue Code and TCP Act, they will be criminally prosecuted. This is just one example, several other incidents will be brought to light,” Rane tweeted.
He said that the department will lead the way with strict action, lodge FIRs, wherever necessary and officials will be placed under suspension and terminated if found guilty.
“I reiterate, using public office for personal gain will not be tolerated and treated as a violation under Prevention of Corruption Act,” Rane said.
The government on April 22 had suspended the final ODPs of Parra-Arpora-Nagoa, Calangute-Candolim and Vasco pending scrutiny. Similarly, the draft ODPs of Panjim, Kadamba Plateau, Mapusa, Margao and Ponda have been kept on hold for a period of 60 days.
A 10-member committee headed by Chief Town Planner Rajesh Naik was constituted to scrutinise and review the ODPs and submit a report within 60 days. During the meetings held so far, the committees have come across several violations in the ODPs.
“It is my personal view that the villages of Parra, Nagao, Candolim and Calangute should be removed from the jurisdiction of the PDA and reverted back to its original status,” Rane said.
All four coastal villages are part of North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA). The ODPs were drafted when Michael Lobo, currently the Leader of Opposition, was the chairman of NGPDA.
