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Govt delaying RP 2021 to facilitate illegalities: GBA

HERALD
June 8, 2010
Accusing the Government of buying time to finalise the Regional Plan 2021, the Goa Bachao Abhiyan has urged village groups and concerned citizens to join them to form a human chain starting from Mandovi Hotel in the capital city this Friday, June 11, from 4 to 6 pm.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Convenor GBA Sabina Martins said this protest in the midst of the monsoon season is called “chain in the rain” and all those concerned about their State are free to join to lodge their protest.

Martins said from now on GBA has planned a series of protests till the Government finalises the RP 2021. But at the pace at which the process of finalisation was going on it doesn’t appear that the plan will be finalised.

She said they were assured the taluka plans for Pernem and Canacona would be finalised by March 31, 2010, but more than two months have passed and there is no sign. It is learnt that it will take another two to three weeks, she mentioned.

Treasurer GBA Annand Madganvkar expressed fears that the finalisation of RP 2021 was being unnecessarily delayed to facilitate a number of building projects lined up. It may be because there is a strong provision in the RP 2021 to save eco-sensitive zones which is not there in RP 2001 presently in force, he mentioned.

Martins said assurances of March 4, 2010 by the CM to freeze constructions in eco-sensitive zones have all but vanished. The Government has instead notified a committee for review of construction in eco zones with no mention of freezing the same.

“Rampant illegal mining, hill cutting and filling of fields continue. In reality the Government was buying time to finalise the RP to allow illegalities for long enough,” she maintained.

She said despite announcements there was still no notification on the new commission to rework the outdated Town and Country Planning Act of 1974 to stem the rot set in by amendments 16 and 16A. There is no will to include peoples’ participation by bringing in 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution along with the current RP, she stated.

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