PORVORIM: Illegal construction activity has resulted in Goa losing massive tracts of orchard land that, if totalled, would be double the size of Ponda town or almost as big as
Mapusa or almost equal to the size of Quelossim village
.
On Monday, minister for town and country planning, Vijai Sardesai told the
Goa legislative assembly that 1 crore sqm of orchard land has been illegally developed for housing. While Sardesai’s 1 crore sqm figure may not give one a clear perspective of the loss of green cover, TOI compared the area to Goa’s towns and villages to come up with the findings (see infographic).
“Over 1 crore sqm of orchard land was illegally subdivided and sold as residential plots,” Sardesai said in response to a question by BJP
Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral, who sought to know if the government has carried out a survey to indentify the number of orchard lands that were illegally subdivided into plots which were sold.
After the Town and Country Planning Act was amended bringing in Section 49(6) in March, Sardesai said subdivision of orchard land has been made cognizable office.
Since then, 99 cases have been identified across the state and FIRs have been registered in some cases. “ There are 27 cases reported in
Bicholim which is the highest. Eight FIRs were registered for violations in
Quepem, while 44 FIRs were lodged in Dharbandora,” Sardesai said.
In many cases, FIRs have been registered against unknown persons. In some cases, the details of plots could not be identified as only boundary stones were laid and roads and stormwater drains were not developed. Also, the number of plots developed and sold was unknown, he added.
To stop such illegal subdivision of plots, Sardesai said Section 49 (6) has been made applicable across the state. While in the past, the penalty was Rs 1 lakh, with an amendment, the fine has been increased to Rs 10 lakh plus a jail term of one year.
Cabral suggested that since TCP has offices in every taluka, committees should be formed to identify illegal subdivision of plots. Sardesai replied that though no survey has been carried out, taluka level offices have identified many cases of illegal development of land and sub-division of land. “Surveying of land to detect illegal plots throughout the state is impractical and not warranted,” he said.
Sardesai, however, said that the TCP needs an enforcement wing to check illegal conversion and sub-divisions. “They will need to create new posts for the wing, and it will be done,” he said.
Sardesai said among the beneficiaries of illegal subdivision of orchard land are poor Goans who have built houses within land of 200-300sqm, oblivious to the real nature of the land.
Replying to another question by Cabral, the TCP minister also informed the House that 963 plans were received for technical approval after the finalisation and notification of Regional Plan (RP) 2021. But, on coming to power in 2012, the BJP-led state government had kept the regional plan in abeyance.
Cabral also pointed out to the plight of people whose land was shown as settlement under RP 2001, but changed to orchard zone in RP 2021 and in some cases, it was done vice-versa. “What will happen to those cases? Why should people suffer?” said Cabral.
It was also pointed out that some conversions and sub-division of plots were done while the election code of conduct was in force in early 2017.
Representative image
