the goan I network
PANAJI
The Congress on Wednesday said it will challenge the controversial Goa Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Act, 2018 in court, which inserts a section to permit individual land zoning changes in the Regional Plan within two weeks.
The amendment notified on November 22 which allows the Chief Town Planner to change land zoning on individual requests and which fixes processing fees and rates to be charged per square metre of land converted has drawn widespread criticism.
Condemning the government decision to notifying the amendment, Congress spokesperson Tulio D’Souza said the amendment has virtually made land a trading commodity.
“It will never stand scrutiny of Law. We are in the process of gathering technical information and are sure the amendment will be struck down by the courts,” D’Souza said. A practicing architect, D’Souza said hills, agricultural lands, khazan lands, eco-sensitive areas and water bodies will go up for sale with the amendment. Land sharks will get these lands converted for cheap, he added.
Raising a question about government intention, Tulio alleged that this (amendment) is a backdoor entry for legalising the illegal plots.
“TCP minister had once announced that action will be taken in cases of plots which have been sold illegally. Where is the list of illegal plots and what action has the minister taken? In fact, the amendment which is notified is a backdoor entry for legalising past illegalities,” D’Souza said.
The new amendment in the act which inserts section 16 B in the Act which empowers the Chief Town Planner to process individual applications for zone changes on a case-to-case basis. Unlike section 16A it does not have any committee which will adjudicate the applications. Section 16 A which deals with public projects, requires a committee to examine the project proposals and decide to grant the conversion or not. “It defeats transparency and the provision also does not account for any exceptions,” D’Souza said.
Section 16 A which deals with public projects has a provision that a committee under chief secretary examines the project proposal.
It may be noted that Goa Bachao Abhiyan has already opposed the amendment in court.
When asked about it Tulio said, “We are aware of that but Congress party will file a separate petition.”
