PANAJI
Following severe backlash over illegal hill cutting and land conversion, Minister for Town and Country Planning (TCP) Vishwajit Rane on Monday announced the government’s decision to tweak the existing TCP Act to impose heavy fine of up to Rs 25 lakhs as a deterrent to illegal hill cutting and plotting. The amendments to the Act, which were approved by the TCP Board, are likely to be introduced through an Ordinance.
Addressing a press conference, Rane said that the Department, which can act within its existing laws and powers, has so far registered around 900 FIRs against illegal hill cutting and plotting. He said that in his own constituency village-Dharkhand, around 100 plots were illegally developed and the department has acted against it through an FIR.
“I can act within the existing law and hence there is need to tweak the law to prevent plotting of orchard land unless it is converted into settlement,” Rane said, adding that existing law will be amended through an Ordinance to prevent illegal hill cutting and plotting by levying hefty fines.
The Minister said that the amendment will propose to increase the fine from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh based on the size of the area. “FIRs alone don’t help and hence there is a need to impose such heavy fines. We will see that people’s sentiments are protected,” he said.
He said that the Board decision vis-a-vis amendments to TCP Act will be ratified in the next TCP Board meeting and would be sent to the government for final approval.
The decision came following severe criticism from cross sections against the Department for allowing rampant illegal hill cutting and conversions. During the recently held monsoon session of the Assembly, both ruling as well as opposition MLAs had cornered the Minister over largescale hill cutting.
Rane further said that as decided by the Board no new big project would be permitted in the State without Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) certification.
