People’s power makes govt scrap proposed amendments to Goa Land Development Regulations
Timely response to outpouring of people’s sentiments by TCP minister noteworthy; expert committee headed by Urbanist Vinayak Bharne to hear people’s perspective proposed to be formed after modalities are worked out, Minster Vishwajit Rane says committee will speak to political parties, leading activists, panchayats, etc
Team Herald
PANJIM: Within hours of the people converging at the TCP office with their objections and protests against the proposed amendments to the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations, TCP minister Vishwajit Rane issued instructions to scrap the amendments completely and go back to the people.
Speaking to Herald he said, “I have not kept it in abeyance. I have scrapped it. It is not something I wanted to push at any cost. A committee of experts will now speak to political parties, activists (like Goa Foundation, Rainbow Warriors, etc), panchayats others and understand their perspectives”
This action is undoubtedly noteworthy since the response has been quick, unconditional, and factors in a direct one-to-one dialogue with those who have spoken out vehemently against these amendments
Rane said that an expert committee headed by Urbanist Vinayak Bharne with planners like Swati Salgaocar and others being its members will be constituted shortly to study the amendments and also public views.
Rane said that the Expert Committee will interact with all the opposition parties, NGOs and activists, and other concerned stakeholders to get their perspectives on these amendments. He said that the Committee will rework the same amendments. “The TCP board will then hold meetings with Expert Committee and go ahead accordingly,” he said.
People’s objections were around the revamped norms that allowed the setting up of golf courses, film cities, and farmhouses in the State.
“Concerns have been raised with regards to the amendments by citizens as well as some political Opposition. I have written a letter to Chief Town Planner asking him to scrap the amendments with immediate effect. We want to keep complete transparency in our policy decision”, Minister Rane said.
Over the last couple of weeks, there have been multiple public meetings held in various parts of the State as well as village panchayat gram sabhas. Besides the towns of Margo and Panjim, there have been such meetings in a large number of villages such as Candolim, Moira, Loutolim, Carmona, Varca, Benaulim, Betalbatim, Chinchinim amongst others.
The draft regulations, which were kept open for public suggestions and comments on August 28 for a period of one month, have permitted golf courses and film cities with the condition that the project should have a minimum area of 4 lakh sqm. TCP has permitted a maximum FAR of 30 percent for golf courses. For setting up a film studio, the minimum plot requirement is 1 lakh sqm.
The TCP had also permitted farmhouses to be built on agricultural land that is 10,000 sqm and more in area. The maximum ground coverage for a farmhouse shall be limited to 2.5 percent and the maximum built-up area shall be limited to 500 sqm with a maximum height of the farmhouse limited to 7.6 m.
“The proposals of golf courses, a film city or film studio shall be considered only after they invariably fulfill green certification by Indian Green Building Council,” the amendments had said.
Also, the TCP has permitted residential schools and yoga meditation centers to come up in all zones other than in paddy fields, water bodies, khazan lands flood-prone areas, forest areas, tenanted land, and on land with slopes more than 25 percent.
