Goa: TCP Act amendments scrapped along with clearances under section 16B, says minister Rane

The Goa government on Monday announced the scrapping of amendments to the Town and Country Planning Act in what is being seen as a victory for protesting environmental activists and some political outfits.In a video message, state Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajir Rane said the amendments were being scrapped as even keeping them in abeyance would have caused more doubts among people on the intention of the government.Several outfits had protested outside the TCP department here on Monday claiming the move would take away green spaces and put pressure on resources.

The Goa government on Monday announced the scrapping of amendments to the Town and Country Planning Act in what is being seen as a victory for protesting environmental activists and some political outfits.

In a video message, state Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajir Rane said the amendments were being scrapped as even keeping them in abeyance would have caused more doubts among people on the intention of the government.

Several outfits had protested outside the TCP department here on Monday claiming the move would take away green spaces and put pressure on resources. The Revolutionary Goans Party had registered its opposition to the amendments on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Rane defended the amendments saying they were brought in for clarity in many regulations, especially those related to the tourism sector.

He also took a dig at protesters and said such stirs were witnessed in the state earlier against the Konkan Railway project and construction of five-star hotels.

These projects are working successfully and are helping the state's economy, the TCP minister added. In a step further, Rane also announced several clearances given under section 16B of the TCP Act, which allows the government to change zones for land use on case-to-case basis, were being cancelled.

This section, incidentally, has been challenged before Goa Bench of Bombay High Court.

''After much thought, I have given direction to the chief town planner to cancel all cases that stand under 16B with immediate effect, the ones that were taken with provisional and final approval,'' Rane said.

''The chief town planner has briefed our lawyers to file an affidavit in the High Court on the government's decision on 16B. Not a single case will be retained,'' the minister added.

Rane said the state government will seek the High Court's permission to operationalise section 16B afresh after taking inputs from experts from the Indian Institute of Planners, Indian Institute of Architects, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Confederation of Indian Industry, among others.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)