PANAJI: The state government has decided to implement the provisions of Regional Plan-2021, which has been kept on hold since June 4, 2012, releasing land in various permissible zones on merits.
An order issued by the town and country planning secretary on March 28 has said the development in land zoned under settlement zones or commercial zones or industrial zones or institutional zones as per the Regional Plan of Goa 2021 will be permitted on merits for uses allowed in the respective zones by following a transparent process.
As per the order, the applications as received by taluka-level offices of the T&CP department will be scrutinised with respect to the report on settlement character of the land surroundings, access conditions, nature of land, as to whether slopping/low-lying or having forest trees, etc and permissibility as per Goa Land Development and Building Construction regulations.
It has been mentioned in the order that release of land shall be further subject to opinion from the forest department and agriculture department in case the land area is more than 5,000 square metre.
The order has spelt out prohibition of development in areas such as low-lying paddy field, water body, khazan land, flood-prone area, land having slopes more than 25 per cent gradient, forestland including private forest, land falling in the buffer zone of wildlife sanctuaries and no-development zone as per coastal regulations zones notification even if they fall in settlement or development zone.
Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai said the government has been toying with the idea of rectifying the Regional Plan 2021 for quite some time and permissions were granted only for the lands which fall under settlement or development zones as per both 2001 and 2021 regional plans.
“This has resulted in hardship to members of the public as contradiction of the zoning in both the plans has created problems for many plots even for personal use. Due to this confusion, illegal developments and fragmentation of orchard land and other agriculture lands were on the rise. This has prompted the government to amend section 49 (6) of the act to prevent sale of land/registration of unathorised plots,” he maintained.
He further stated that it is expected that the government move to operationalise the Regional Plan 2021 will help a large number of individuals who have been anxiously waiting for construction of a shelter for personal use.