the goan I network
PANAJI
The process of converting land-use zones in the Regional Plan 2021, as applied for by individuals and institutions under section 16B of the TCP Act, 1974 has been thrown in the people’s court with the Chief Town Planner (Planning), Rajesh Naik, calling for objections and suggestions on the proposals.
Some 89 proposals, many of which have already been recommended for change of zone from ‘orchard’ to settlement/institutional by the Town and Country Planning Board, were on Thursday published in the State’s official gazette and public objections invited.
In some cases, the TCP board has ‘deferred’ the proposals citing the need for ‘further scrutiny’ as some development work has already been carried out on the land where conversion is being sought and in other cases these have been partly earmarked in the RP-21 as ‘natural cover’ or ‘no-development slopes’.
The Chief Town Planner said in the gazette notification that copies of the maps and notes containing the proposed changes can be inspected in the TCP department’s office located at Dempo Tower, EDC Patto Plazza in the capital city.
CTP Naik also said in the notification that all objections and suggestions to the proposals and recommendations of the TCP Board are to be forwarded to his office, also located at the Dempo Towers, EDC Patto Plaza within two months. Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai, who holds the TCP portfolio, had through an amendment to the TCP Act, 1974, which attracted intense criticism from civil society and Opposition parties, provided a window for conversion of land-use zone under Section 16B of the Act.
Sardesai had also set deadlines for post-facto conversion of those orchard lands which had already been illegally
developed and threatened criminal action in cases where people failed to apply for conversion.
The process was set in motion and dozens of applications which were received were processed even as the amendment piloted by Sardesai came to be challenged before the Bombay High Court. It was however temporarily put on hold in early March following the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct in the State for the just concluded Lok Sabha elections and Assembly bypolls.
With the MCC lifted on Sunday last, the Chief Town Planner has now revived the process and notified the 89 proposals, including the recommendations of the TCP Board. The proposals include zone change recommended by the TCP Board of some 10-odd lakh square metres.
