TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The fate of illegal houses built in the last 12 years could be in doldrums as the State government has decided to collect data of structures constructed between 2005 and 2017 without permission from the authorities concerned.
Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai said the department will compile data through Google mapping or comparing records available with sub-registrar offices.
“In the absence of Regional Plan, several constructions came up illegally in the State between 2005-17 without converting the lands or seeking permissions. We are compiling data of such structures. We now compiling the data of how much area could have been illegally converted during this period. Unplanned development and illegal sub-division of plots are rampant everywhere in Goa especially in the orchard lands. We need to stop ghettoization in the State,” he said speaking to a section of reporters on the sidelines of the adventure sports event – Rain Forest Challenge India on Sunday.
He stated that since there was no RP, common people developed their structures illegally. The minister has asked such people to approach the authorities and it decide whether or not to consider it.
While refusing that blanket permissions would be granted to these structures, Sardesai further said the State government can work out certain means like “amnesty scheme” for these structures.
The government has further decided to clamp down on illegal conversions stating that a section in the Town Planning Act makes it mandatory for plots before being registered with the sub registrar to have NOC from the town and country planning department. “This practice was stopped by the then government because they thought it was being misused by Planning and Development Authorities (PDA) and TCP. But I think we will have to restart this process. When you come to register the plot you should have no objection certificate from PDA or TCP, else illegal development will continue,” he claimed.
On the RP 2030 which will be a land use guide for the State, the minister disclosed that the backbone of this plan would be Transfer of Development Right (TDR) policy which will assign development rights to every property. “Those developmental rights which can be transferred to designated area… assigning developmental rights to all properties is not an overnight job. It will take time. In the meantime, if you have urgency for development, we can consider on case to case basis,” he added.
Asked if the work done on the RP in the past would be discarded fully, he replied in negative stating, “Whatever that has been done by the department in the past like in last five years, they have reached conclusion for RP on Pernem, Canacona and Sattari. All that work will not go waste. We will certainly consider all the work that has been put in. But the new RP 2030 will have to be based on a new policy,” he said.
