PANJIM: Forest Minister Alina Saldanha was forced to concede that attempts are being made to convert green areas into settlement zones in the State, especially in Canacona, as Opposition members attacked her, alleging that massive land conversions had started as early as three days after the BJP-led government came to power. The Opposition also alleged that the freezing of the Regional Plan had allowed them to convert large tracts of agricultural, forest and orchard lands.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai charged the government of allowing massive conversion of forest land at Canacona merely three days after it came to power in March 2012, terming it as ‘daylight robbery’. The minister found herself at the receiving end of the Opposition’s criticism over the conversion of several lakh square metres of forest land on survey number 330/1 in Loliem village, for eco-tourism project proposed by a Delhi agency.
Saldanha was forced to give an assurance that she would stop any possible constructions in forest areas and that she will ask the committee of experts in both the districts for a re-survey. I will see that the committees inspect the areas again,” she said amidst noisy scenes in the House.
“The BJP government allowed conversion of large tracts of agricultural, forest and orchard lands in Goa while the Regional Plan was frozen. The case from Canacona involved one Ardent Infrastructure and Developers Pvt Ltd which had purchased the land in 2006. Though this is a part of eco-tourism zone as marked in the RP 2021, it falls in orchard zone as per RP 2001,” Sardesai told the House during Question Hour.
He added that that deputy town planner had rejected the proposal in 2011, but the collector had cleared it in 2013.
“Government took a decision at a town and country planning board meeting allowing eco-tourism projects. This was on March 9, 2012, just three days after it (BJP coalition) came to power,” he alleged.
Saldanha told the House that construction permissions are granted only in laterite areas denying any illegalities. Upset and not willing to accept this explanation, the MLA demanded the revoking of the NOC issued as it was a daylight fraud and circumvented the Regional Plan which has been lying in cold storage for the last three years. He also hinted at pecuniary transaction for the conversion involving a certain section of people.
Sardesai also alleged the project promoters had never asked for Eco-Tourism sanad but a commercial sanad, as such this could be a strong legal point for Ardent. “For this ‘favour’ done to the Delhi-based developers, Rs 2 crore have been ‘extracted’ officially,” he said.
According to the written reply received, the NOC issued to Ardent by Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), South Goa Division Margao on May 11, 2011, is subject to the condition that the findings of the State Level Expert Committee (SLEC) on Forests will be honored. But the Minister had no reply when asked what the findings of the Committee on Forests specified.
She was caught on the wrong foot when she said that the findings of the Committee said that “this land in Loliem had two parts, one was thickly vegetated and the other was laterite area to which the NOC may be accorded”, but in reality this was the remark made by the DCF and not the SLEC on Forests.
Taking the opportunity, Sardesai, in a rather loud tone alleged, “Those who claim that they got you elected as MLA after spending crores of rupees, must be collecting money (for allowing conversion).” He clarified that he was not blaming the minister as she was not much aware on the conversion.
Saldanha, who also raised her voice in reply to Sardesai, said she is aware that attempts are made to convert land and that owners of the land are at times responsible for this. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar finally intervened walking towards the minister’s chair asking her to calm down with Speaker Rajendra Arlekar calling for an end to the discussion as the minister had already given an assurance to look into the issue.
