MARGAO
The controversial 16 (B) of the Town and Country Planning Act is out and in comes 17 (2) post-Amendment to the TCP Act, triggering a debate of sorts whether measures for corrections in zones is beneficial to the State and its people.
For the moment, however, the ordeal of applicants, more so the small land owners, who had applied for corrections in zones over half-a-decade, seemed far from over. In fact, these applicants now face double trouble at the Town and Country Planning Department.
Consider this. After the government brought the new amendments into force after the exit of the 16 (B), many applicants who had filed applications for correction in zones around 2018 have now come in for a shock after they were informed that they have to now pay a processing fee of Rs 10,000 per application. Take note, these applicants, whose applications have been pending with the TCP over the last five years had already paid the prescribed fees for corrections to the department. With the new amendments, these applicants will have to not only pay the processing fee of Rs 10,000, but the correction of the zone fees per sq mtr area.
That’s not all. The applicants have not received any clear cut answer how would the government go about with the fees already paid half-a-decade ago, whether the government would adjust the fees or refund the amount to applicants.
An applicant told The Goan that he had paid fees amounting to Rs 22,000 to the TCP around six-seven years ago for correction in the zone. “The TCP had then calculated the fees as per the sq mtr area. To my surprise now, I am now required to pay a processing fee of Rs 10,000, besides the fees for correction in the zone,” he said.
He added: “When I inquired with the TCP officials about the status of the fees already paid by me when I had applied for correction in 2018, I was shocked to hear that the government has not yet worked out any mechanism about the fees already paid to the TCP. In fact, a senior official informed that the government will soon devise a mechanism how to go about the fees already paid by applicants.”
Explaining the circumstances which made him to knock the doors of the TCP for correction in zone in 2018, the resident from Salcete informed that his small property admeasuring around 3,000 sq mtrs, jointly owned by his brother, was in settlement zone in Regional Plan 2001, before the zone of the small plot was mysteriously changed to orchard in the subsequent Regional Plan. “I suspect foul play behind this change of zone of my property. For, while changing the zone of my plot to orchard, some unscrupulous elements changed orchard and other plots in the village into settlement. I have been waiting for justice for the last six years, but in vain,” the resident added.
