Team Herald
PANJIM: With a matter related to Section 16-B of the TCP Act pending in court, the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Board that met on Monday has decided not to clear any new applications for zone change under the relevant section.
The TCP Board chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar, however, decided to continue the process of undertaking ground reports for applications that had been granted provisional approvals for zone change.
Speaking to media persons post the meeting, Kavlekar said, “We don’t want to violate any court order. However, the process for preparing ground report by concerned departments, like agriculture, forest, TCP, with regards to those applications, which were granted provisional approvals, will continue.”
The State had in November assured the High Court that no final approvals will be granted under Section 16B for zone change. The petition, filed by Goa Foundation, will now be heard in January.
Further, Water Resources Minister Felipe Neri Rodrigues said the necessary amendments would have to be done to the TCP and Panchayat Raj Act to make rainwater harvesting mandatory for all new constructions.
“Rainwater harvesting has been a priority for the State government. We are trying to amend the existing laws to ensure that rainwater harvesting and its conservation is mandatory for all new constructions before they are granted licenses,” he said.
Rodrigues said that decision would be taken in consultation with TCP and Panchayat Departments.
