Team Goemkarponn
VASCO: Former Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar accused the BJP government of using the proposed No Development Zone (NDZ) notification covering 82.85 lakh square metres as a political exercise to mask its environmental record and divert attention from what he termed large-scale ecological damage during its tenure.
Addressing a press conference, Patkar claimed the government had allowed indiscriminate land-use changes and weakened planning safeguards over the years, only to now project itself as a protector of Goa’s environment through the proposed NDZ notification.
Patkar questioned TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane over the implementation of Section 39A, which the minister had earlier described as a provision intended to help ordinary Goans owning small plots construct homes.
“Is South Indian actor Ram Charan the ‘common poor Goan’ for whom Section 39A was introduced?” Patkar asked, referring to official records that identify Ram Charan Teja Konidela as a designated partner of IRAP Infra LLP.
According to Patkar, the same Gazette proposing No Development Zones also recommends conversion of environmentally sensitive land into Settlement Zones. He claimed that 18,733 square metres of natural cover linked to KGL Realtors Pvt. Ltd. and 9,750 square metres associated with IRAP Infra LLP have been recommended for conversion.
The Congress leader said the party supports genuine environmental conservation and protection of paddy fields, khazan lands, forests, orchards, sand dunes, water bodies and other ecologically sensitive areas. However, he alleged that conservation measures should not be used to conceal previous planning decisions that permitted environmental degradation.
Patkar also questioned the transparency of the NDZ proposal, asking the government to disclose the scientific criteria used for selecting the notified areas, details of expert consultations, ecological studies conducted, and whether Gram Sabhas, Panchayats and affected landowners were consulted before the proposal was issued.
He further expressed concern over the potential impact on farmers, fishermen and rural landowners, claiming that many families with ancestral properties adjoining the proposed NDZ areas remain uncertain about future construction rights and livelihood-related infrastructure.
The Congress demanded that the government publish a comprehensive account of all land-use conversions approved during the tenure of TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane, including conversions to Settlement Zones, commercial, tourism and industrial projects, approvals granted under Sections 17(2) and 39A, and permissions issued in environmentally sensitive areas.
Among its demands, the party called for the publication of all technical reports and expert recommendations related to the NDZ proposal, consultations with affected Gram Sabhas and Panchayats, and a clear explanation of the implications for landowners and local communities.
Patkar maintained that environmental protection should be based on science, transparency and public participation, and not on what he described as selective planning decisions. He said Goa requires accountability and balanced planning that safeguards both the environment and the interests of its people.
Others present at the press conference included Everson Vales, Ranjeet Singh Rane, Olencio Simões, Prashant Gawade and Jayesh Shetgaonkar.
