Goemkarponn desk
CALANGUTE: While stating that an investigation should be done into any wrongly converted land in the Regional Plan 2021, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo today pitched for village-wise planning while forming the new regional plan in future.
“Village-wise planning is required to be done in future planning of Goa. The people of the village and the panchayat body should decide how they want their village to be developed. Any architects, engineers, qualified environmentalists, farmers etc in the village should be consulted. Village-wise planning should be done while finalising the new RP,” said Lobo.
He further said that every year the regional plan opens, and some additional land is given for construction. Now it is orchard land which has been changed into a settlement. The last regional plan, which we said would get over in 2001, was there till 2011. It was late by 10 years.
“I feel that village wise plan should be need of our and which should be opened for development should be marked into that plan and send to the government after due process, and it should be later notified,” he added.
Lobo said that doing an entire Regional plan for the state of Goa, the task is nearly impossible because there is a lot of hue and cry and opposition from various quarters.
He said when the RP 2021 was taken up for discussion in 2017, it was decided that all marshy and low-lying land should be kept out of the ambit of the regional plan.
“Every plan has some controversies or the other. The (TCP) minister said he would investigate. Let him investigate. And what he wants to actually do, he will show it. He said he will present it in the assembly…,” he said.
“If there is a scam in the Regional Plan 2021, then there should be an investigation into it, I fully support the probe initiated in RP 21. RP-21 was kept on hold by former CM late Manohar Parrikar as many discrepancies were brought to his notice,” said Lobo.
He further said that now that I inquired into the plan, it’s a welcome step.
TCP minister Vishwajit Rane said that 6 crore sqm of settlement land was “illegally” shown as eco-sensitive land, for which TCP officials will be held accountable.
