This is with reference to the news report ' Panaji erupts over cries to save land , protests swell' (TGE, Feb 23). If the people of Goa have come out in large numbers on the streets in protest against the Town Planning Department (TCP), it is because we are witnessing the unbridled destruction of our beautiful Goa in the name of development through the use of Section 39A of the TCP Act. It is time the Goa govt and Town Planning Department (TCP) realise that we have adequate protection under the State Regional Plans (RPs) which have been meticulously planned for sustainable development of Goa through zoning across cities, towns and rural areas. Hence we do not require Section 39A of the TCP Act which only involves conversion of lakhs of square metres of eco-sensitive areas into settlement zones to benefit the builder lobby, in the guise of development. Even a few ODPs (Outline Development plans) in North Goa have been cancelled by the High court as they are not in line with the Regional Plans. Goa is a small state and we cannot turn the state into a concrete jungle.
