Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane has said that around 10 crore square metres of land in Salcete is proposed to be classified under the No Development Zone (NDZ) category as part of efforts to strengthen environmental protection and regulate future development.
Rane said the proposal has emerged from requests made by several village panchayats in Salcete, which have sought stronger safeguards for ecologically sensitive and vulnerable areas facing increasing development pressure.
He stated that the move is intended to correct long-standing land-use planning issues and bring greater balance between development needs and environmental conservation.
According to the minister, the government is focusing on a planning approach that ensures growth does not come at the cost of Goa’s natural ecosystems and fragile ecological zones.
Rane emphasized that protecting green cover, wetlands and other environmentally important regions is essential for maintaining ecological stability and long-term sustainability in the State.
He added that the NDZ classification would help curb unregulated construction in sensitive areas while allowing more structured and planned development in designated zones.
The minister further said that sustainable land-use planning is critical to avoid environmental degradation and to ensure that future development is guided by scientific and long-term considerations rather than short-term expansion.
The proposal is part of broader efforts to improve land management practices in Goa while balancing infrastructure growth with environmental protection priorities.
