----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help others be BETTER INFORMED ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre (GDRC) Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ New law overrides Regional Plan: Govt can now take up any project ------------------------------------
The worst fears of NGOs over the controversial TCP (Amendment) Bill 2008 may not be far from coming true as the State Government has got the nod that will enable it to take up projects, development works and schemes undertaken by Central government or State Government that need not conform to the provisions of the Regional Plan. Despite stiff opposition from various quarters to the Town and Country Planning (amendment) Bill 2008 passed by the Goa Assembly in March this year, Goa Governor S C Jamir has given his assent thereby enacting and effecting the TCP (Amendment) Act 2008. As per the new amendments and inclusion of 16A(1) no person shall undertake any work of development in contravention of any provision of the Regional Plan as in force, except the projects/schemes/ development works undertaken by the Central Government or the State Government, either by itself or through its servant or agent or any other person. As per Section 16, all development programmes undertaken within any area by any private institution or persons conform to the provisions of a Regional Plan. However, public projects/schemes/development works undertaken by the Central Government or State Government shall be in conformity with the rules framed and procedures laid down by the government for such project/schemes/works. There are apprehensions that the enactment of the bill will facilitate construction of projects such IT Habitat at Dona Paula, Food Park at Quittol, IT Park at Socorro, new international airport at Mopa and even Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Goa Bachao Abhiyan has already criticized the government decision saying the action of the Government to amend the said Act while the Task Force is going through the process of preparation of the Regional Plan 2021 is tantamount to the Government initiating a parallel process to bring in projects through the "back door" thus nullifying the very purpose of setting up a Task Force for preparation of a Regional Plan for Goa. The recent case of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation seeking to acquire private land in Cuncolim at the request of the M/s. Vigneshwara Developwell Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, ostensibly in "public Interest" for IT/ITEs and other technology based industry with "work, live, shop and paly concept" is a case in point which is most relevant in light of the said Bill, according to GBA. Demanding its withdrawal, GBA said if this is not done it will immediately send a wrong signal to the people of Goa that while the Government has promised a well studied, participative and transparent Regional Plan for Goa through the Task Force, its intentions infact are otherwise. One letter was written to the Government by GBA convenor Dr. Oscar Rebello on April 2nd. While one or two Bills passed during the Budget session of the Assembly in March are yet to be sent to the Governor, the TCP Bill was sent along with the others which were passed in the House and subsequently the Governor put his seal, sources said adding that this happened many days ago but it has come to light only now. -------------------------------------- HERALD 07/6/08 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: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----------------------------------------------------------
