Section 17(2) of the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, 1974 allows the Chief Town Planner to make changes to the Regional Plan 2021 without public consultation. The section was inserted by amendment on March 1, 2023. The TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane confirmed that it’s only for genuine cases to favour ordinary Goans and they (TCP Dept ) are strictly following guidelines/environmental laws /safeguards etc for giving approvals. But what we are seeing is mostly the opposite i.e. Most of the land converted is for companies/celebrities/wealthy people from outside Goa and prominent BJP politicians from Goa. Shockingly hills/waterbodies/fields and NDZ areas are converted. What’s also so shocking is that the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is mostly silent on land grab in Goa with the exception of making statements that his govt has set laws to protect Goa’s land and environment. The question now is for every Goan to decide if we want to allow this day light robbery /destruction of Goa. There are already a few dedicated Goan activists, who are working hard/overtime to stop the onslaught. Can we join them or support them as much as possible ? The time to act is now !
