MARGAO
Terming the amendments proposed by the Chief Town Planner under the Goa Land Development and Building Construction (Amendment) Regulations, 2022 Act as anti-people and anti-Goa, concerned citizens have given a call to the people of Goa to join in large numbers in a peaceful protest outside the Chief Town Planner’s office, Panaji on September 26, 2022, at 10.30 am.
The peaceful protest has been called to register the rejection of the amendments and to warn the government to respect democracy and work for future generations instead of the profits of a few.
Addressing the media at the historic Lohia Maidan on Wednesday, activist Abhijit Prabhudesai said it is clear that these amendments will open the gates for widespread destruction of the remaining green of Goa at the hands of greedy land speculators and will displace Goans at an unprecedented scale.
“Agricultural and eco-sensitive zones in RP 2021 were protected until now, but this amendment proposes massive constructions with lakhs of square metres of built-up area within lands demarcated under RP 2021 as A1 and A2 zones," he said.
Abhijit further said the amendments proposed include many other dilutions to help builders and land speculators, such as reducing the width of roads required, allowing higher FARS for various constructions and removing the need to keep spaces for education and other public utilities for the development of areas over 5 Has.
Demanding these amendments to the regulations must be scrapped immediately and a stringent, RP 2031 must be prepared instead to cope with the climate crisis, which will swallow 15% of Goa's lands as per the State Action Plan on Climate Change, he said that planning and preparation of Regional Plan 2031 must be done at the ward level by the people, thus fulfilling our democracy, conforming to Article 243 of the Constitution and restoring our self-sufficient villages, which is essential if the future generations are to survive.
