The draft TCP rules permitting construction of sports complexes, religious structures, yoga centres and farmhouses in green zones and agricultural land is yet another nail in green Goa's coffin. The draft will without doubt morph into law under pressure from the builders lobby, land sharks and ministers even though as a fig leaf the government has kept a 30-day window open for stakeholders to voice their objections. It is to be noted that TCP had notified a similar draft in September 2022 which had drawn strong criticism from environmentalists and activists who had highlighted that this will destroy fragile ecosensitive zones and biodiversity hotspots ; the proposals were ultimately rescinded. The present draft norms also provide for regularisation of unauthorized structures more than 500sq m in area if they were built before December 2020. It is to be noted that in 2016 then Goa CM Laxmikant Parsekar had himself admitted that 90% of the constructions in Goa are unauthorized. The proposed new laws will not only boost illegal construction but will also lay waste vast swathes of green areas with real estate entities laughing all the way to the bank.
