The proposal has triggered growing concern from Cavelossim to Benaulim, with residents questioning the rationale behind the proposed zoning changes and their implications for landowners and future development.
In Cavelossim alone, the TCP Department has issued four notifications proposing to reclassify agricultural and khazan lands as NDZ. The first notification, issued about a month ago, sought to alter the zoning of approximately 1.04 lakh square metres of land. While it sparked debate in the village, two subsequent notifications issued in June have further intensified public anxiety. Together, the latest notifications propose to convert an additional 15.28 lakh square metres of land into NDZ—7.06 lakh square metres under one notification and another 8.22 lakh square metres under the second—raising fears over the scale and intent of the exercise.
The village's opposition became evident on Sunday when residents, cutting across political and social differences, came together at an extra ordinary gram sabha meeting to unanimously oppose the TCP proposals. The participation of youngsters, who recited poems expressing their opposition to the zoning changes, underscored the growing concern among the younger generation.
Social activist Paul Lobo set the ball rolling after he urged villagers to remain united and file objections before the July 8 deadline. "The clock is ticking. We have time only till July 8 to file our objections. We must oppose all four notifications proposing to change the status of our fields and khazan lands to NDZ. The government is playing with words to mislead the villagers," Lobo said.
Questioning the basis of the proposed changes, Lobo asked whether any landowner or farmer had ever applied to the TCP Department seeking conversion of their agricultural lands to NDZ. "When no farmer has applied for such a change, how can the government unilaterally propose to alter the zoning of these lands to NDZ or NDA? This is totally unacceptable," he said, drawing applause from the gathering.
With objections set to be filed before the July 8 deadline, villagers have resolved to intensify their campaign, insisting that the proposed zoning changes could have far-reaching implications for Cavelossim's traditional agricultural landscape and future development. Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas too has lent his support to the people of Cavelossim to oppose the NDZ notification. He warned that the government has come out with the NDZ notification with a sinister design to declare the fields at No Development Area, to convert the paddy fields already covered under the Restrictions of transfer of paddy fields.
Says Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz: “The Panchayat would immediately forward the resolutions objecting to the NDZ proposal to the TCP. The villagers are one on this issue that they do not want NDZ in the village”, he added.
