the goan I network
MAPUSA
The Town and Country Planning Minister, Vijai Sardessai has directed the chief town planner to investigate the zone changing issue in Camarkhazan, Mapusa giving a ray of hope to the protesting residents of the ward.
The residents of Camarkhazan had recently met and made a representation to the TCP minister stating that the entire landscape of the ward was altered overnight by changing the zoning of the ward from Settlement (S-1) to commercial (C-1) zone.
The residents alleged that the sudden zone changing was carried out by unscrupulous builders with the blessings of avaricious politicians and bureaucrats and requested the minister for immediate zone change to its original nature to preserve the identity and character of the ward.
Acting on the concerns of the residents, the TCP minister has directed the chief town planner (planning) to “investigate and revert” on the matter.
The Chief Town Planner, Rajesh Naik has now written to the member secretary of the North Goa Planning and Development Authority to look into the matter and take necessary steps to address the grievances of the residents.
In the meanwhile around 45 residents met on Saturday evening to discuss on the immediate fallout of the investigation ordered by the TCP minister.
Local councilor and Vice Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council, Marlene D’Souza was also present for the meeting.
At the meeting, the residents decided that all construction activity in the ward should be immediately stopped pending the inquiry. They also said that no more buildings should be allowed in the ward.
The residents also urged the councilor to pass a resolution in the Mapusa Municipal Council not to allow any more buildings in the ward.
The residents further said that since the two municipal wards of Mapusa were included in the Aldona constituency for assembly election the government should create a new panchayat and include the two wards in the panchayat.
“We will write to Aldona and Mapusa MLAs, NGPDA and the MMC on the decisions taken by the people of the ward,” said John Lobo, Secretary of Tenants Association of Camarcasanacho Bundh.
In another development, acting on a complaint about extensive tree cutting in the ward, which is demarcated as private forest, a forest department official conducted an inspection of the area recently.
“There is rampant tree cutting going on in ward 8 (Camarkhazan) with the intention to construct buildings and bungalows in the area,” said Lobo.
