TCP Minister orders inquiry into allegations made by Goencho Avaaz

Team Herald

PANJIM: Two days after Goencho Avaaz named a few politicians from the ruling and opposition for their involvement in illegal conversion of land in the guise of Regional Plan 2021, Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vijai Sardesai on Monday ordered an inquiry into the allegations. The inquiry will also be conducted into the alleged land conversions by Churches, which has been exposed through the social media.

The inquiry will be conducted by the five-member expert committee, which was constituted by TCP department, earlier in April, to put into operation the Regional Plan 2021. The committee comprises Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI) member Venancio Fernandes, Institute of Engineers, India  (IEI) members Ernesto Moniz and Paresh Gaitonde, Indian Institute of Architects, Goa Chapter chairman Manguesh Prabhugaonkar and Chief Town Planner Rajesh Naik, and has to submit its report by June 1. 

Addressing media persons, Sardessai said that the issue is technical and not just left for politicians or mobs to discuss or make allegations. “This is a technical issue, which needs to be examined. I am ordering an inquiry into the allegations levied against the politicians, individuals, institutions and also church bodies,” he said. “Let the inquiry begin with me,” the Minister stated. 

During its recent meeting at Lohia Maidan, ‘Goencho Avaaz’ had named 14 politicians for having illegally converted land into settlement and commercial. Simultaneously there was a social media campaign exposing how various churches were involved in conversion of over three lakh sq meters of agricultural and orchard land.

“I request Goencho Avaaz and their leaders to approach this five-member inquiry committee and place all the documents they have with them. Also those who are making allegations against churches, I appeal to them to come forward and place on record the documents for inquiry,” Sardesai said. 

He said the allegations will be examined in detail and the report will be out in one month. “We will take a call after that. We can even take a call on the entire RP 21,” the Minister said while refusing to comment on whether he would scrap the plan. 

“Let me not talk about the result. Let everyone come under scanner including me,” he added. 

Taking a pot-shot at the Congress, the Minister said that RP 21 was drafted by the then Digambar Kamat government. “RP 21 is not my baby. I was not even an MLA when the plan was drafted. So why am I facing the people’s wrath? It is only because I revived the RP 21 opening up settlement, commercial areas for development,” he said.

He said that Congress leaders like Digambar Kamat, Luizinho Faleiro, Pratapsingh Rane, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco had moved cut motions accusing the government of not putting RP 21 in operation. “And now when the plan is put in operation, the same people are targeting me,” Sardesai stated.

“Even activists like Dean D’Cruz, Patricia Pinto who are protesting were part of the expert team that drafted RP 21,” he added.

“When there was no discussion on RP, there was demand for RP and when we have put the plan in operation, there is demand that the plan be scrapped. What exactly the people want, I am confused,” Sardesai commented.

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