PANAJI
Amid on-going controversy and legal battle surrounding the bungalow in the UNESCO heritage zone at Old Goa, the State government has made No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the competent authority, notified by the Centre, mandatory for undertaking any development within 200 meters of the 14 ancient monuments and archaeological sites at Old Goa.
The department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) in a notification issued has said that any development within 200 meters of the 14 ancient monuments and archaeological sites at Old Goa shall require NOC from competent authority constituted under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, which would be pre-requisite compliance.
The 14 monuments at Old Goa including Basilica of Bom Jesus, Se’ Cathedral, Chapel of St Cajetan, Church and Convent of St Francis Assisi, Chapel of St Catherine, Church of Lady of Rosary, Church of St Augustine, Portal remains of St Paul’s College, Arch of Viceroy, Arch of Adil Shah’s Palace, Chapel of St Francis Xavier and connected buildings, House of Bull, Largo of St Francis Xavier, Largo of St Cajetan which are situated within the limits of the Settlement Level Plan of the Village Panchayat of Ella-Old Goa have been declared under AMASR Act to be of national importance.
The notification also comes at a time when Goa Investment Promotion Board (IPB) has granted in-principle approval to Laterite Resorts to set up a luxury eco-resort in the area at Ella, Old Goa.
“In terms of regulation 6B 2(A) of the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations, 2010 development within the regulated area beginning at the end of the Prohibited Area and extending up to 200 meters in all directions beyond the end of the Prohibited Area or as notified under the said AMASR Act, shall require NOC from the competent authority as constituted under the AMASR (Amendment & Validation) Act, 2010,” the notification stated.
It further said that for any development within 200 meters of the area an application has to be made with all documents for obtaining the NOC which is a pre-requisite compliance before making an application for development permission/ license under the said regulations to any other department of the Union or the State Government.
In view of this the TCP has notified the site plan by delineating the protected area, prohibited area and regulated area in respect of the 14 ancient sites.
The controversial bungalow is located near the St Cajetan Church and the Viceroy’s Arch in Old Goa. The matter is currently pending before the Supreme Court, who is hearing a SLP filed by the Save Old Goa Action Committee, challenging High Court order to set aside Archaeological Survey of India order to demolish the under-construction bungalow under Section 19(2) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
