PANAJI
Amid growing tension and mounting pressure over the controversy surrounding Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday held a crucial meeting with TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane to deliberate on the issue pertaining to zone change provisions.
Rane, accompanied by the Chief Town Planner, met the Chief Minister for nearly half an hour at the official residence Altinho. The high-level meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of ongoing protests and the indefinite hunger strike by St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar demanding the scrapping of Section 39A, which activists allege facilitates large-scale land conversions.
Sources indicated that the discussions focused on the legal, administrative and policy aspects of the controversial provision, as well as the government’s possible course of action.
Sources said that while the government is in position to cancel the provisional or in-principle approvals granted for zone changes, there are legal challenges as far as final approvals are concerned.
Post meeting, Rane declined to comment on the deliberations or the ongoing controversy.
Meanwhile, the government transferred PI Vijay Kumar Chodankar, Police constables Shubham Bhosale and Dhananjay Parab of Panaji Police Station to the North District Reserve Line Force, Porvorim with immediate effect for allegedly manhandling MLA Viresh Borkar during protest at TCP office, last Friday.
PI of Agacaim Police Station will hold additional charge of Panaji PS until further orders.
Borkar moves Breach
of Privilege notice
Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar said that MLA Viresh Borkar has submitted a letter regarding an alleged Breach of Privilege.
Speaker said that he has asked the MLA to attend the BAC meeting on Wednesday and formally place his demand adding that Borkar can also seek a half-hour discussion on the matter.
