Protest Persists: Goa's Land-Use Rule Controversy

Goa legislator Viresh Borkar continues his protest demanding the scrapping of section 39A of the TCP Act, which he claims is misused for converting village lands into settlement zones. Despite the Chief Minister's attempts to resolve the issue, Borkar remains firm in his stance to protect cultural and ecological interests.

In Goa, the protest led by RGP MLA Viresh Borkar against the misuse of land-use rules has reached its fifth day. Borkar demands the scrapping of section 39A of the Town and Country Planning Act, alleging its misuse for converting lands into settlement zones, which he claims benefits a 'builder-politician nexus' while harming local communities.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant engaged with TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane following Borkar's demands to revoke the controversial section. Sawant assured that permissions granted under section 39A, particularly in St Andre constituency, represented by Borkar, would be put on hold. However, he noted that an immediate cancellation was not feasible due to procedural requirements involving the Town and Country Planning Board.

Despite Chief Minister Sawant's attempts to persuade him, Borkar insists on continuing his strike at Azad Maidan. He remains skeptical of the government's assurances, citing past experiences where promises of holding permissions in abeyance failed to prevent ongoing project work. Borkar seeks a state-wide nullification of the section to protect the region's cultural heritage and environment.

(With inputs from agencies.)