*GOA BACHAO ABHIYAN* >> >> *c/o 77, Defence Colony, Lane 4, Alto Porvorim, Bardez, Goa- 403521* >> >> *Email:goabachaoabhi...@gmail.com* >> >> >> GBA/2012 /21 >> >> 06, August 2012 >> >
> *PRESS** **RELEASE* >> >> *Still no guidelines on criteria **for accepting** suggestions and >> objections to RP 2021 -* >> >> The GBA finds it alarming that the Government *of Goa* has announced >> that the Regional Plan for Goa 2021 will be kept open for inspection from >> 16 August 2012 for 30 days *without* making public the “*guidelines*” >> with *objective criteria for accepting or rejecting the suggestions or >> objections made by the Village Panchayats, organizations and individuals* >> . >> >> >> As earlier, vagueness in the procedure will encourage insertions which >> are unequal and destructive in nature, favoring individuals and business >> interests rather than genuine development of the area. The requests for >> change in zone, whether from gram sabha, village committees, CSOs or >> individuals, must be subjected to the same criteria.Strict adherence to >> these guidelines will make transparent the real intent of the Government. >> >> *Is the Government above the law -* >> >> The yardstick already seems to be changing as in the case of the land >> filling in the Mangrove and Salt Pan area ( Eco 1 zone ) behind Heera >> Petrol Pump, near Kadamba Bus Stand, Panaji. This area is subject to tidal >> action and hence under CRZ rules. GBA had filed a complaint with the TCP >> Dept last month to take action on the owners of the land in this violation >> of an area already marked in the Panjim ODP 2011 as 'No Development Area'. >> Till date no action has been taken and more surrrounding NDZ areas are >> also being filled. >> >> Golf Courses in Terekol have been opposed by the villagers through Gram >> Sabha meetings. Due to its location in tenanted land as well as proposed >> constructions in CRZ areas, the golf course is in violation of a number of >> guidelines. Ignoring all this, the Government in a statement in the >> Assembly announced that a golf course will be started in Terekol as a >> matter of development. >> >> GBA wishes the Government to come clear on whether it will respect >> environmental laws, as well as Gram Sabha resolutions as per the Supreme >> Court order or continue to undermine this, as was done with the malafide >> amendment to Section 16 & 16A to the TCP Act during the last Governments >> tenure. >> >> The GBA states that the Government with a majority needs to prove to the >> people that it can clean up the ills of corruption. When in opposition the >> attempt to repeal the subversive amendments to Section 16 & 16A of the Goa >> TCP Act was unsuccessful, however at this point it can move the bill to >> repeal the amendment to prevent further insertions like the International >> Cricket Stadium on the outskirts of Mapusa or the 20 Point programme >> housing in the middle of the Verna Industrial Estate into the Regional Plan >> 2021. >> >> There are no details available about what the public can do after >> inspecting the notified RPG 2021 between 16 August and 15 September, >> 2012. Despite the orchestrated movement before elections, that >> highlighted the suspect increase in settlement zones in the notified >> RP2021, suggestions that poured in to the TCP office for the two months >> thereafter had an overwhelming majority asking for just the opposite, >> suggestions involving changes favoring themselves – from Eco Zones to >> Settlement. This is clearly not acceptable for a public document that plans >> for the State of Goa. >> >> Having sorted out two months of such inputs, the door opens yet again for >> a month to confusion unless clarity is maintained in the form of Gazettes >> notifications or public notices. >> >> To avoid confusion the GBA reiterates its demands that the terms of >> reference for keeping the plans open to public be stated unambiguously ina >> public >> notification to be issued by the Government . This must be finalized and >> notified before the TCP Board considers the changes in the notified RPG >> 2021. >> >> Dr. Sabina Martins Reboni >> Saha Convener >> Secretary >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > > Visit www.savegoa.com -- T