PANAJI
Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane on Thursday responded to the high-pitched criticism from the Opposition in the Goa legislative Assembly on largescale conversion of land-use zoning in the State with an assurance that he will present a "white paper" soon on all land-use conversions done so far.
Replying to the discussion on the demands for grants pertaining to the TCP department Rane said he will not respond to the queries over matters that are sub-judice except that as demanded by the Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao, he will give details of all land converted and changes in land-use zones in a white paper soon.
Rane alleged that before he took over as TCP minister, over one-crore square meters of land had been converted under section 16B of the TCP Act even as he claimed that land conversions were a necessity and was being done all along under the TCP Act.
Earlier during the discussion on the demands Alemao had raised alarm over the claims being made in the media regarding the largescale conversion of land under the controversial sections 17(2), 35A and 16B of the TCP Act.
Alemao also raised concern over the rising number of large housing projects coming up and proposed in villages giving rise to anxiety among the residents of its impact on their daily lives.
Benaulim MLA, Venzy Viegas and St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar raised questions about the TCP department liberally granting clearances to large real estate projects in villages.
Viegas made a strong case for a new Regional Plan arguing that since so much land needed to be converted it clearly was outdated.
"Let us all work to formulate a new regional plan for Goa taking the villages and the people into the confidence," Viegas said.
Borkar claimed that the TCP Department is granting clearances to projects in villages by erroneously claiming the area has access roads of 10 meters width when in reality only a 3-meter road exists.
