PANJIM: The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Board on Friday approved the Regional Plan 2021 (RP21) for Sattari and Canacona talukas. The rectified land use plans, wherein some zonal changes have been considered, will now be placed before the government for notification.
Speaking to Herald after the meeting, TCP Board chairman, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister and TCP Minister Francis D’Souza, said that in respect of both talukas, 15 percent of the suggestions received from the public, have been accepted. “All these suggestions were related to zonal changes. For example, in Sattari, zonal changes for eco tourism and hinterland promotion are marked. We have identified some mining areas as industrial zones,” he said.
SLC had received over 300 applications from Sattari and another 450 from Canacona with suggestions and comments to rectify the plan.
Asked whether the government would be able to meet its December 31 deadline to notify the RP 21 for the State, Deputy Chief Minister, didn’t sound too confident when he said “we are trying”.
“We are trying to meet our deadline of December end. Accordingly the work has started in the remaining 10 talukas. In case of Pernem, Quepem, the ground verifications are almost complete as directed by the State Level Steering Committee. In the rest, self verification is in process,” D’Souza said.
“It is not an easy task. We lost a lot of time in the first three years. The process started late. We are trying our best to give RP 21 to the people by this month end,” he added.
During the second round of public inputs, 6500 applications were received with comments and suggestions, the highest number came from Salcete (1260) and Bardez (1030). The first round of public inputs was held during the Congress government.
The BJP government has been facing criticism over its failure to notify the land use plan in the last five years. 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 Regional Plan but with modifications.
