The sweeping changes being sought to be brought in to promote golf courses, film cities, farmhouses and to give 'incentives' to the land and real estate development industry by statute has come in for sharp reactions from many and has triggered activists to group together and oppose it.
Goa Bachao Abhiyan, the organisation which spearheaded the movement against similar big ticket proposals via the regional plan more than 15 years ago has demanded the amendments be scrapped.
In a joint statement, its convenor Dr Sabina Martins and Secretary Reboni Saha have taken objection to the amendment process which they allege is guided by a committee of builders, liaison agents and TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane.
The amendments are only focussed on increasing allowable built-up areas even in Goa's pristine villages and eco-sensitive zones, GBA said.
"The amendments are guaranteed to turn Goa into a random theme park-cum-party slum," Martins and Saha said in the statement.
Both Martins and Saha were around a fortnight ago part of impromptu convergence in Panaji of some 100-odd social activists, architects, green activists among others which deliberated in detail all the 15-odd proposed changes.
The conclusion at that conclave was that the new proposals were a move to duck and undermine the Regional Plan 2021 and the intent of the group was to spread awareness across Goa to oppose them.
On Saturday a similar conclave was held in Margao where the numbers grew exponentially. In the meanwhile, Carmona in Salcete, became the first village to place its opposition on record in the form of a Gram Sabha resolution.
Slamming the proposals to allow big projects on green land, the Carmona gram sabha resolution is being officially forwarded to the TCP department to be put on record. The Chinchinim panchayat also followed suit a week later yesterday.
Rane on the other hand has struck a conciliatory tone, suggesting via Twitter that the government is "open to objections and suggestions".
The deadline to submit objections and suggestions to the proposed amendments ending on Tuesday, September 27, what shape this shadow boxing between the minister and Goa's civil society takes will be keenly watched by many.
