PANAJI
Taking into account several government projects including the Tuem Electronic System, Design and Manufacturing (ESTM) plant as falling in the no development zone, members of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) have asked that the government keep away from eco sensitive area in the Regional Plan 2021.
Pointing to the Tuem plan as being in the area marked as No Development Zone, both in the Regional Plan 2001 and 2021, the group condemned the government’s decision to reopen the plan for suggestions with major projects missing from the plan.
Speaking to media persons, GBA convenor Sabina Martins said the Investment Promotion Board Act was flawed and that it had anti-constitutional rules that needed to be changed. “The regional plan in its mandate is not for private interests, rather a scientific overlaying of all the factors that can sustain Goa and her population for the future. We understand this move to open the plan now will include projects passed on eco-zones under the Investment Promotion Board.”
They have also reiterated their stand on the absence of guidelines for accepting suggestions for the re-opened Regional Plan 2021 demanding eco-zones are protected with highest regard.
Among their demands, the GBA has asked that a committee representing a cross section of stakeholders, respected professionals and trusted civil society members is constituted. They have also demanded that the protection of eco-zones and their areas should not be compromised unless for the sake of accuracy and ground truth.
Guidelines, they said needed to be clearly given to the public against individual requests for change in land use, rather than only for rectifying of errors and public interest. “Villagers with issues of fraud and duplicate plans must be handled together with the parties involved in drawing up the plan, that is, with the Panchayat and the Village Level Committee,” said Martins.
To help sensitise the public, the group has also released a one minute message urging people to write to the TCP office for protection of eco-zones in the plan as a matter of public interest. “We simply cannot wait by the sidelines anymore to be victims of another disaster due to incompetent planning, as it happened in Chennai,” said GBA member Reboni Saha.
She also pointed to an instance at the TCP office where people wanting to submit their suggestions and comments were asked to furnish a Form I & IV proving they were land owners in the State. “When we asked the Chief Town Planner Puttaraju, he insisted that the staff was unaware,” said Saha.
The members also insisted that the government should focus more on the amending the TCP Act and pay more attention to saving water bodies and catchment areas. Saha also pointed to how the settlement area had increased by 30 per cent in comparison with the Regional Plan 2001 and that more emphasis was needed on eco-sensitive areas.
