the goan I network
PANAJI
In a last-ditch effort to block the TCP Amendment Bill and the Mopa Planning and Development Authority Bill from becoming laws, the Congress has knocked the doors of the Governor Mridula Sinha, urging her to refuse her assent and return the bills.
In a voluminous memorandum submitted to the Governor, the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar has claimed that the government bull-dozed its way with the legislations in the recent monsoon session despite the Opposition pleas to refer these to a select committee.
The Goa TCP (Amendment) Bill was sought to be referred to a select committee by the Opposition since it will have adverse effects on the State’s ecology, Chodankar said.
He said the amendment proposes to allow change in zoning of land on a case-to-case basis and inserts new sections providing Transferrable Development Right (TDR) and Accommodation Reservation for acquisition of land for public purpose.
Chodankar said a law made by the State legislature which is repugnant to a law made by Parliament shall be void and the ‘Accommodation Reservation’ section overlaps with provisions of the Land Acquisition Law of Parliament.
The law would require assent of the President of India in terms of Article 254 (2) of Constitution of India, the memorandum adds. It will also negate a number of social impact safeguards provided in the Central land acquisition law, including the need to assess the social impact and conduct public hearings before acquiring any land, Chodankar said.
The State only has power to legislate in as far as enhancing the benefits to the land-losing families in a land acquisition and nothing more, he said.
On the concept of TDR, Chodankar said it was first introduced in the USA to preserve certain parts of its cities in 1960s. It was introduced in Mumbai in 1991 for construction of roads and slum development and in Bangalore in 2005 for acquiring land for large scale development projects but was unnecessary in Goa.
It seeks to confer FAR upon water bodies, farm lands, khazan lands, etc which are otherwise ineligible for any such settlement use and it will put huge pressure on the demands of water and electricity and jeopardize the interest of locals by huge influx of foreign players and land sharks, he added.
Chodankar also told the Governor that the Congress has also decided to take the matter to the Bombay High Court to challenge the Constitutionality of the bills.
The Congress party he said also raises strong opposition to Mopa Planning and Development Authority Bill as it denudes local self-government bodies from powers conferred upon them by 73rd and 74th amendments.
