PANAJI
In a major conservation move, the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Board on Monday decided to declare all 554 survey numbers in and around the Zuari Industrial Estate in Vasco as a No Development Zone (NDZ), following legal developments linked to the area’s private forest status.
“The entire stretch around Zuari Industrial Estate covered under 554 survey numbers will be declared as NDZ to ensure conservation,” Minister Vishwajit Rane told media persons after chairing the TCP Board meeting. He, however, did not specify the total area that would come under the protected category.
Rane said the decision was taken after the Supreme Court stayed an earlier recommendation seeking to unreserve the survey numbers around the industrial estate. He said the court proceedings and the State Forest department’s affidavit affirming the private forest status of the land prompted the Board to move for long-term protection of the area.
Highlighting the State’s conservation measures, Rane said the TCP Department proposes to notify nearly 10 crore square metres of land as NDZ, including low-lying areas, paddy fields, hills, khazan land, salt pans and river banks.
“The mapping of Khazan land is nearing completion. Once that is done, we will impose a complete ban on undertaking any activities on Khazan land. These lands, along with mangroves, saltpans, will be declared NDZ soon,” he explained.
The Minister further stated that the State has also notified around 13,000 survey numbers comprising mangrove plantations as NDZ under the Centre’s MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes) programme.
In the last one month, the TCP department has proposed to notify around 87 lakh sq mtrs of land in Sattari, Pernem, Mormugao and Salcete as NDZ, besides another 10 lakh sq mtrs already notified in Pernem.
