GBA objects to draft
regional plan
Sandesh Prabhudesai
23 July 2007
The Goa Bachao Abhiyan has expressed its reservation over
considering the draft regional plan report as the basis for
preparing a new regional plan.
An announcement in this regard was recently made by chief
minister Digambar Kamat in the ongoing monsoon Assembly session.
While welcoming the government decision to initiate the process
of formulating a new Regional Plan and amending the Goa Town
and Country Planning Act, l974, GBA convenor Dr Oscar Rebello
feels that the draft is inadequate to direct the state's human
and economic development.
The document has outlined the current status of Goa without
providing an adequate vision for the state and does not place
human development as the core focus.
The GBA has thus urged the government to reorient its planning
paradigm to flow from human development and local needs -
the fundamentals of planning itself needs to be redefined
for a resource-stressed state like ours.
The GBA thus advocates extensive public consultation through
workshops to initiate a fresh approach to planning. The GBA
draws the attention of the Government of Goa to substantive
new analysis that is already available - the GBA has already
prepared an Independent analysis of the Regional Plan Report,
which together with public comments can serve as the basis
for discussion between the Government and all other stakeholders.
The GBA has also reminded the chief minister its suggestion
that as a prerequisite, data on current land use and maps
be made available by the T&CP Department. The existing
land use base maps should be updated incorporating therein
all land use changes made from 1988 to 2005 ( i.e. the taluka
surface utilization maps of RP 2001, changes as per zoning
maps of 10 village areas as well as the 6 konkan railway zoning
maps and changes made via Gazette Notifications). This would
be needed to serve as the basis while planning any future
projections and land use changes while formulating the new
Regional Plan.
The GBA has also made it clear that throwing open the Draft
Outline development Plans (ODPs) once again to the public
would not serve any public interest if they continue to be
in operation. The draft ODPs will have to be held in abeyance
until the process is complete, if the Government is serious
about involving people in the process.
The GBA welcomes the idea of the workshop to be held by the
TCP department. A comprehensive TCP Act is needed as the old
Act is outdated and does not even incorporate the 73 rd and
74th Constitutional Amendments.
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