Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department has initiated a fresh round of land-use changes under Section 39-A of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act, involving both the conversion of land into settlement zones and the proposal to place vast areas under No Development Zone (NDZ) protection.
In one notification, the department approved the conversion of 25,384 square metres of land in Arpora, Parra and Cola. These parcels were previously classified under categories such as orchard areas, natural cover and no-development zones. The approved modifications have been incorporated into the Regional Plan, though their validity will remain linked to the final outcome of ongoing petitions before the High Court concerning Section 39-A amendments.
The department has also published a separate proposal seeking public feedback on the conversion of 11 land parcels spread across several villages, including Davorlim, Morjim, Calangute, Aldona, Raia and Corgao. Together, these parcels measure 43,828 square metres.
One of the key proposals relates to land at Davorlim currently shown as a water body in the Regional Plan. The department has recommended that a substantial portion of this area be redesignated as settlement land, while retaining the remaining section under its existing classification. The proposal will be subject to inputs from the Water Resources Department and the concerned local authority.
Alongside these conversion proposals, the TCP Department has moved to earmark a significantly larger area for protection by proposing more than 2.01 crore square metres of land as No Development Zone. The proposed NDZ areas extend across 18 villages in Tiswadi, Bardez, Pernem, Bicholim, Ponda, Mormugao and Salcete talukas.
The land identified for NDZ status presently falls under a wide range of categories, including agricultural fields, orchards, natural reserves, mangroves, khazan lands, forests, water bodies, industrial zones, settlement areas and other land-use classifications.
Public objections and suggestions have been invited on both sets of proposals, with stakeholders being given 30 days to submit their views.
The latest notifications are likely to reignite debate over land planning and development in Goa, particularly as Section 39-A continues to draw scrutiny from environmental groups, citizens’ organisations and litigants who have challenged several land-use amendments before the courts.
