"do you mean that only about 70000 hectares would be left for spatial planning" Arch. Edgar Ribeiro who was taking down notes while we were discussing (not a presentation before RP task force) on Oct. 7, 2007 at CM's residence asked me... "yes, that's it and therefore the whole RP business does not make sense to me" I had replied. Now the government admits in the assembly that RP-2021 excludes 297400 hectares of ecosensitive areas. A fact which forest (govt. and private forests, mangroves) , agriculture, water resources (command areas) , environment (CRZ) etc. depts. always knew and about which I had always written. Goa's total area is (after excluding 700 hactres of area under island of Anjedives surrendered to Indian Navy) stands at 370300 ha. Delete 2974000 of statutorily covered ecosensitive area. Then we are left with just 72900 ha. for any sort of land use planning. Remember this area is distributed over 189 village panchayats, 13 municipal councils and the CCP. A simple calculation would show on average just about 360 ha. per local authority. and for such a minuscule area Goa needs a regional Plan to tie everyone's hands legally, technically, cartographically-for next 11 years, esp. in villages!. A plan which no other smaller or larger state or union territory in India is interested to prepare. A plan which government views academically and as the panchayat minister has assured-" Illegal constructions can be legalized" Let us see the galaxy of saints who would implement the new regional plan for a mighty area of 72900 hectares (hundreds of talukas or tehsils in India are larger than this). An excellent example of how civil society in Goa wastes its' energy. Now it would be difficult to jump from the RP-2021 ship! be sure that by next assembly election people of Goa would be stripped of all their powers except casting the ballots!
Dr. Nandkumar Kamat, GOA * * * Was life in the *kudds* glamourised? Who said, "It appears that the Goanese (sic) are a roving people, prepared to go to any part of the world for well-paid employment"? How did Goans find their first toehold in the Gulf? Find your answers in Selma Carvalho's *Into the Goan Diaspora Wilderness*. Buy from Broadways Book Centre, Panjim [Ph +91-9822488564] Price (in Goa only) Rs 295. http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/ * * *
