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GBA exposes Panaji ODP scams ---- "government land sold to private vested
interests"
By Pamela D'Mello
Panaji, Oct 4: In a path breaking experiment, a citizen's group in Goa put
out draft city planning maps on public exhibit ---- exposing "pay and
change" routes for higher floor area ration(FAR), besides farcical
subterfuges being deployed to circumvent coastal protection legislation in
capital Panaji.
Among the mutiple scams the Goa Bachao Abhiyan exhibition adeptly exposed,
were two proposed coastal roads that planners had shown on maps."I live
here, there is no place for a road, since it is directly on the beach.
When I asked the official where the road would be , he lost his temper"
former Panaji municipal councillor Patricia Pinto told this newspaper.
In the exhibition hall at the Goa Kala Academy, blow ups of google satellite
imagery belied the planning department's claims alongside. Using a right to
information legislation, citizens had penetrated one of the most opague and
secretive departments.
Residential high rises --- some with commercial zone FARs --- are already up
along a suburban sea face and the non-existent road would clear the decks
for a parallel strip of construction.
"This will allow a long ribbon of green, recreational space and dune area to
be converted from CRZ3 (protected) area to CRZ2 (where construction is
permitted)" architect Ritu Prasad later explained to a packed hall.
In realty hotspot Panaji, this itself would translate into thousands of
crores in a future market. Apartment prices on the ocean and riverfront
capital have risen seven times in the past three years.
The group's strategy to demystify and decode complex planning process to
build awareness was a success, attracting crowds of concerned citizens. It
blew the lid open on a nexus that would transform the charming city into a
chaotic characterless high rise town.
Working professionals diong volunteer service in the GBA, found to their
horror that definitions for zones in the new ODP had changed since an
earlier 2001 ODP. Even a small 100 sq m plot now qualifies as a zone, says
Prasad.
Commercial zoning, with its high FAR (allowing 7 storeys) were being
randomly granted anywhere "on request" by a sub committee that had political
sidekicks in an all-too-obvious conduit.
In addition several heritage government buildings, private residentials and
offices were changed to commercial in the clamour for excess FAR. Large
swathes of green mangrove no development zones had been changed to
commercial zones.
Between the 2001 Panaji ODP and the 2011 draft ODP, no utilities had been
added --- no satellite markets, no parking spaces, no recreational zones,
not even a earmarked garbage treatment area. The entire plan only adds on
commercial areas everywhere, increasing pressure on the 10 sq km capital,
with its 40,000 residents and 59,000 floating population, engineer Slyvester
D'Souza said.
Opinions are veering for a complete scapping of the plan, holding it as an
example of "governance sold to vested private interests".
The GBA which forced government to rescind a similarly controversial
all-Goa regional plan in2006, is hoping residents from other 11 ODP areas
would put their own plans under the scanner. "Find out what's happening in
your area. There's no point in complaining later." said Ms Pinto.
Though still at "draft" stage, set for a 2 month public scrutiny period,
the ODP is "in use", permissions being provisionally approved, she said.
Since a1974 town planning act, not a single ODP had been ever finalised.
Furthermore, the 2011 Panaji ODP had been prepared without a consultation
with the city corporation of Panaji. (Ends)
