------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help others be BETTER INFORMED, The time is come for the people of Goa to ORGANISE not AGONISE !! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre (GDRC) Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ Scrap Regional Plan: experts, environmentalists ------------------------------------------------------------------- Goas Regional Plan for the coming years upto 2011 has not only sought to create new urbanised areas but also would turn green cover into concrete jungle in many talukas.
While Opposition parties have not raised a finger, environmentalists, activists and professionals have analysed the Plan and describing it as anti-Goa, anti-people and anti-environment, have strongly called for scrapping of the Plan. Tracts of green areas orchard, forest and hills in Canacona, Poinguinim, Mandrem, Tiswadi, Bardez will be turned into settlement zones. Settlements are proposed on Baga hill, along the entire coastline in Calangute and Candolim, along Tiswadi riverbank in Siridao, Bambolim, Santa Cruz and even on mangroves off River Zuari. Besides, 90 hactares of industrial area is being shown on Serula plateau in Bardez in alleged violation of forested area. Similar markings are shown in Poinguinim. What is worse is that the, Final Regional Plan which has been notified by the government, contains several major changes from the draft plan. The activists and professionals held a meeting in the city calling for scrapping of the plan, on Wednesday. The key speakers included Dean DCruz from the Indian Institute of Architects - Goa Chapter, Rahul Goswami writer, Heta Pandit Goa Heritage Action Group, Patricia Pinto Peoples Movement for Civic Action. DCruz pointed out to drastic changes in the final document of the Regional Plan as against the draft Plan. He pointed out to the lakhs of square meters of land under the Plan for settlement, which allegedly threaten forest land, mangroves, fields, etc. This is all against development, he said. DCruz pointed out to alleged proposed destruction of green cover at Baga, Canacona and Morjim. All this is going to change the face of Goa, he explained. Rahul Goswami said that his analysis of the Regional Plan 2011 indicated a clear violation of the process of planning. The Plan is not based on fieldwork but outdated data, he explained. He also pointed out that the Plan, which should have been out in 2001 has instead come five years late and four years before work on the next Plan could begin. He described it as a mockery, bad in law and violating the planning process. While Dean DCruz earlier pointed out that the Plan makes no provision for the much talked about Mopa airport, Patricia Pinto also pointed out that the Regional Plan 2011 does not make provisions for garbage waste processing sites. It does not look at basic infrastructure to cope with the future, she said. Instead of planning there has been a painting of the Plan, she decried. Samir Mehta of the Bombay Heritage Action Group also criticised the Regional Plan 2011 saying it lacked the basic requirement of a vision plan for Goa. In his opinion the plan focuses on drawing tourists at the cost of the people and environment. ------------------------------------ HERALD 12/10/06 page 1 ------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK ----------------------------------------------------------------------- promoting civic and consumer rights in Goa ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN Post Box 187 Margao, Goa 403 601 GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507 mailto: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
