PANAJI
Unanimity eludes the various stakeholders and voices seeking space on how the Regional Plan 2021 should be finalised.
The two principal opponents in the equation the Congress party, which has demanded a scrapping of the plan and the GBA, which has demanded a ‘rectification’ of the plan with proper guidelines which include among other things, no compromise on eco-zones, etc.
Between the two extremes lies an entire spectrum of demands. From the coming together of village activists who have planned a presentation on Monday to explain the faults of the plan, the village gram sabha have demanded that the plan they have sent to the TCP be adopted as well as the Council of Social Justice and Peace, which has sought that the present ‘archaic’ Town and Country Planning Act be amended to incorporate the 73rd and 74th amendments of the constitution before drawing up of any plan.
Speaking to the Goan, Sabina Martins GBA convenor called for a practical approach towards the regional plan.
“For nearly a decade we have been making demands before governments, none of which have been agreed to be it to amend the TCP Act or to ensure that the eco-sensitive zones are protected. Projects are still being given outside the ambit of the regional plan either through the Investment Promotion Board or simply without being in consonance with the regional plan,” she said adding that it is only the individuals who are being made to suffer saying that the Regional Plan is not notified yet.
The government has kept the plan open till December 30 for suggestions and objections, after which it will process the suggestions received.
“We have demanded a rectification of the plan because it is the most practical solution. If one wants to scrap the plan, then let’s lock the eco-sensitive zones outside of development and begin the process of making Regional Plan 2031, because that’s how long it will take to draw up a new plan from scratch,” she said.
The village activists led by Fr Eremito Rebelo and others are holding a public conference to explain the regional plan at Lohia Maidan on Monday evening.
The logic of opening the plan during the month of December, a time when much of Salcete, the prime vocal opponents of the plan, is celebrating is also very inconvenient, she added.
Taking advantage of opposition to the Regional Plan 2021 ahead of elections, the new BJP Government while keeping the plan notified ensured that it would be ‘read with’ Regional Plan 2001 which was drawn up back in 1985 and has no eco-sensitive zones marked and made for 100% FAR.
