Panel to probe Goencho Avaaz’s allegations against politicians

NT NETWORK

PANAJI

The government has given mandate to the five-member committee of architects and engineers constituted by the department of town and country planning, earlier this month, to investigate the recent allegations made by the Goencho Avaaz, a civil society group, against influential politicians as regards illegal conversions of huge tracts of land under the guise of the Regional Plan 2021, as also look into similar charges made against the Church.

Coming out with this information, Minister for Town and Country Planning Vijai Sardesai said that the committee formed earlier to “operationalise the Regional Plan 2021” will now also carry out these investigations and come out with its report in a month’s time. “And based on this report the government will take necessary action,” he noted.

The Minister for Town and Country Planning, in a note forwarded to the Chief Town Planner has asked the five-member committee to “conduct a detailed study and inquiry on the allegations against politicians, individuals and institutions on the issue of conversions under RP 2021.” June 1, 2018 has been set as a deadline for the submission of the inquiry report.

The committee consists of Venancio Fernandes, member of the Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI); Ernesto Moniz and Paresh Gaitonde, members of the Institution of Engineers-India (IEI); Manguesh Prabhugaonkar, the chairman of the Goa Chapter of Indian Institute of Architects (IIA); and Chief Town Planner, Rajesh Naik. This panel was instituted to recommend to the government on case-to-case basis, projects with a built-up area of above 2,000 square metres on settlement areas as marked in the Regional Plan 2021, for approval under this revived plan.

Sardesai, who himself faces such an allegation over a land in Cavelossim village, in South Goa, speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’ stated that the

committee will inquire into all cases of the alleged land conversions. “I request the Goencho Avaaz and their leadership to approach this committee with their complaints as well as related information possessed by them,” he added, further appealing others who are making similar allegations against the Church, to come forward and speak to this committee.

“Let us examine the issue for a month; we will take a call on the old Regional Plan if there is any mess created in the same,” the Minister for Town and Country Planning said, noting that the government also wants to preserve the identity of Goa, however, it is sad to see a campaign being run to mislead the people by misguiding them on the issue of the Regional Plan.

The Regional Plan 2021 was put on hold in 2012 by the then Manohar Parrikar government before being revived earlier this year.