---------------------------------------------------------------- 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] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Govt to scrap Plan 2011 ------------------------- Bowing to intense public pressure, the Goa government, in a sudden development today, decided to de-notify the controversial Regional Plan 2011 and to go for a new 10-year old plan.
The decision was taken at an emergency Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting and later announced in the Cabinet. Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane said that respecting the sentiments expressed in various quarters, it was decided to de-notify RP 2011 with prospective effect. "It (demand for de-notification) was the people's voice and we have accepted it," the chief minister said. Addressing a press conference, Rane said that the process to formulate a new Regional Plan for 2007-2017 would begin soon and that a new consultant would be appointed for the purpose by inviting Expression of Interest. He also stated that the Town & Country Planning (TCP) department would be asked to conduct satellite imaging along the coastline and that the work of CRZ demarcation would be expedited. Rane who is also the Town & Country Planning minister said that the entire plan would be re-done. Town and Country Planning Department will initiate the process of formulating the new Plan using new technology like satellite imaging. Here, water bodies, ponds, slopes and hills with more than 25 per cent gradient would be taken care of and that forest lands would be protected, he said. Congress President in Goa Ravi Naik also strongly suggested that the Plan be scrapped. For the last few days, the government and the Congress party in particular, were under public pressure to scrap the RP-2011 more so after the massive meeting at Margao two days ago. Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) which spearheaded the movement against the RP-2011 from December 3, with the support of the media, created an awakening among people of the dangerous designs of the Plan. Incidentally, the statements came soon after the Archbishop voiced concern over the implications of the Plan besides extending support to the agitation. The Goa Youth Congress had also demanded denotification of the Plan yesterday. Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik submitted a note to the Rane during the CLP meeting for denotifying the Plan by issuing an Ordinance if required. Yesterday he said that, while briefing Sonia Gandhi, he had mentioned about the implications of RP for Congress in Goa. Meanwhile, some Congress MLAs were red-faced with the decision to denotify the Regional Plan 2011 as s they had reportedly acted as brokers in land deals just before the RP was notified in August 2006. But when they came out of the meeting, they tried to show that they were heroes of the anti-RP operation. Sources said that one MLA said that builders (who have benefited from the Plan) might go to the court to challenge the decision. --------------------------------------- HERALD 19/01/07 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] ----------------------------------------------------------
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