Now, TCP approves conversion of 1L sqm land under Sec 39A
The airstrip and hangar at Michael Boren's Hell Roaring Ranch in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area in Idaho, May 30, 2025. Boren, nominated by President Trump to lead the Forest Service, is accused of threatening trail workers with a helicopter, building an airstrip without a permit and putting a cabin on federal property. (Aaron Agosto/The New York Times)
Panaji:
The Town and Country Planning (TCP) department has approved the conversion of just over 1 lakh sqm of land that was earlier classified as orchard and natural cover.
The TCP board cleared the five applications for land conversion under Section 39A of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act after 'due consideration of the suggestions' received during a 30-day window, said Vertika Dagur, TCP's chief town planner (planning).
Dagur said the alteration and conversion of the five plots in the Regional Plan, 2021, will be subject to the outcome of the writ petitions pending before the high court.
The PIL, filed by Goa Foundation, challenges the provisions of Section 39A, alleging that they allow arbitrary and ad hoc conversions of privately owned plots within the Regional Plan and notified outline development plans, which could lead to unplanned and undesirable development in Goa.
Of the 1 lakh sqm that was put up for conversion, nearly 69,129sqm falls in Pernem's Parcem village. The entire tranche of land was converted for residential housing.
The TCP department said that it examined the five proposals along with scrutiny reports before placing the applications before the TCP board for its decision.
Dagur said govt has also approved the change of zone for the five plots.
'Therefore, in view of the recommendation of the Goa TCP board being approved by govt and in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 39A of the Goa TCP Act, the Regional Plan and the outline development plan is hereby altered and modified as specified,' Dagur said.
Section 39 of the TCP Act garnered attention after the HC read down Section 17(2) of the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, which the department was using to facilitate land conversion in the Regional Plan and outline development plans.
The high court had observed that 'plot-by-plot conversion' under Section 17(2) 'virtually has the effect of mutilating the Regional Plan' and thus the scope of the law had to be narrowed.
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