Demands action against zoning changes and CRZ violations
PANAJI
Calling for a mass public movement to protect Goa’s ecology and villages, retired Justice Ferdino Rebello has taken the lead in urging citizens to collectively fight against land conversions, offshore casinos and alleged violations of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
In a public appeal, Justice Rebello demanded the repeal of all laws that permit changes in land zoning, insisting that such repeals should be implemented with retrospective effect. Stressing the urgency of united action, he said he was willing to actively support and coordinate the movement and shared his WhatsApp number with citizens keen on joining the initiative.
“Today I read in the newspapers about people in Arambol taking out a procession against development in forest areas. This should become a people’s movement all over Goa to protect our hills, lakes, rivers, seashores and villages from developers who are creating hundreds of plots with swimming pools while we hardly get one hour of water every day,” Rebello said in his appeal.
The former judge outlined a series of measures that, according to him, should form the backbone of the movement. These include a complete ban on development on hills, irrespective of gradient, and the repeal of all laws that allow zoning or user changes. He also called for a halt to all further development that has either not been approved or is being continued illegally.
Emphasising environmental safeguards, Rebello said all development projects must strictly follow the precautionary principle, with the onus on developers to prove that there will be no environmental damage, either now or in the future. He further suggested that no plotting or large-scale development should be permitted in villages unless a scientific study of the area’s carrying capacity is conducted and submitted.
Justice Rebello also demanded the removal of all casinos from the Mandovi river and sought stringent action against illegal structures in CRZ areas, including sealing premises, suspension of licences and demolition of unauthorised developments.
Taking a tough stand on accountability, he said officials, architects and surveyors who submit false notes or reports should face criminal prosecution as well as disciplinary action.
