PANJIM: The changes in the Regional Plan 2021 continues. The Department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) on June 28 notified conversion of 4,118 square metres of land in the State, even as a public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition pending in the High Court of Bombay at Goa
So far, 28 applications for conversion of 1.85 lakh square metres of land in the RP 21 have been cleared
The department had received three applications for conversion of a total of 5,998 square metres of land in the villages of Sao Jose De Areal, Raia and Moira from paddy field and orchard with no development zone to settlement.
However, following the government’s approval, the TCP allowed corrections-cum-alterations by way of conversion of 4,118 square metres of land.
In a notification issued on June 28, the Chief Town Planner (CTP) has said following the State government approval for alteration and modification in the RP 2021, it has allowed conversion of land admeasuring an area of 3,275 square metres under Survey 35, Sub-Division No. 2, of Village Guirim, Sao Jose De Areal in Salcete, from paddy field to settlement.
Similarly in Raia village, Survey No. 150, Sub-Division No. 15-J, a plot of land admeasuring an area of 248 square metres is converted from paddy field to settlement in RP 21.
Further, an area of 595 square metres earmarked as orchard with No Development Zone in RP in Survey No. 91, Sub-Division No. 16 of Moira village, is converted into settlement.
So far, the department has allowed 28 applications for conversion of whopping 1.85 lakh square metres of land in the RP 21.
“The government has considered the reports and it is of the opinion that alteration/modification is necessary to be carried out to the RPG-2021 for the purpose of rectifying inadvertent error that has occurred in the RPG-2021 and it has directed the Chief Town Planner (Planning) to carry out alteration/modification to the RPG-2021 for the purpose of correcting/rectifying the zone of the said plots which is earmarked as a natural cover zone as per RPG-2021, to settlement zone by issuing notification under Sub-Section (2) of Section 17 of the said Act,” the notification stated.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa had on June 27 issued notices to the State government, the department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) in public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition challenging the Section 17 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1974. The PIL writ petition has been filed by three environmental organisations including the Goa Foundation, the Khazan Society of Goa and the Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA).