June 1, 2015
Nandkumar M Kamat
THERE is a lot of work in hand for anti-corruption bureau (ACB-Goa), Vigilance department, Goa office of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India and CBI. The latter two authorities should initiate an in-depth inquiry into functioning of GCZMA right from its constitution somewhere in 1996 because this body comes under Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF). The recent verdict of National Green Tribunal serving demolition orders with heavy punitive fine on a private hotel in CRZ area under the jurisdiction of Merces village panchayat and directions given to GCZMA to survey CRZ violations elsewhere show the limits of land-use policy and inefficacy of the regional plan.
It’s not for the first time that politically and socially well connected eco-violators have been exposed by the judiciary. The demolition orders served on a private party on slopes of historic Chapora fort is another example of how government machinery has become blind, passive and corrupt. The learned architects, engineers and activists may dream that a published RP-2021 would automatically change the paradigm and Goa would become a paradise of law-abiding citizens under the same old Town and Country Planning Board. Then what do all these judgments show? Such judgments expose the massive scale of malpractices, favoritism and corruption in government departments and local authorities. And the most beautiful aspect of this institutionalised pliable and corrupt system is that regime change does not affect the corrupt transactions when prime land is involved.
The Chief Town Planner (CTP) now armed with a doctorate sits within shouting distance of these sites of violations but he too is not interested to stand by law and ‘suo moto’ without fear or favour file FIRs, sparing none based on available, recordable evidence. If he spends just half a working day in a jeep survey to inspect violations of TCP Act, 1974 and Rules in Panaji, Santa Cruz and Taleigao constituencies then his hands would be full in filing tens of FIRs within a radius of five kilometers from his office. When and which government would give us, the people of Goa, such fearless Chief Town Planners?
Destruction of Mangroves
Local people from Merces, Ribandar, Chimbel have seen over past 25 years how private parties have been engaged in destruction of mangroves, filling up of Khazan lands and salt pans and violation of ancient drainage system in area running parallel to Ribandar causeway. The 400 hectares Khazan land area between Chimbel creek and Ourem creek was a double crop rice bowl of Tiswadi taluka for past three thousand years. An inspection would reveal how rivulets, low-lying Khazan lands and salt pans between Hira Petrol Pump, Panaji and the Merces road intersection were illegally reclaimed.
How revenue authorities permitted trade activities in this reclaimed eco-sensitive CRZ area? GCZMA has become merely an academic, ornamental body. The official and non-official members who worked on GCZMA since 1996 have seldom taken fearless stand to enforce their mandate which is under a powerful central act – Environmental Protection Act, 1986. State government just can’t interfere in their jurisdiction. The Cabinet can’t dictate GCZMA. The honorable court should have fixed direct responsibilities because it is just impossible that none of these GCZMA members while traveling did not notice these violations which ordinary people who don’t have powers like them noticed for 25 years. The least that the non-official members can do now is to submit their resignations owing to personal and moral responsibility for not upholding the rule of law. They are also responsible for not imposing their mandate on the tidal part of river of Nagali or Taleigao, known as creek of Santa Inez. They are afraid to admit that the tidal creek falls under GCZMA and is a clear CRZ area.
Investigate Land Reclamation
Due to the fear of the ruling politicians and pressure from developers, not a single official statement has originated on actual legal status of Santa Inez creek from this statutory body. Members of GCZMA know that CCP has no business to interfere with the creek. A detail investigation has to be launched by CCP, GCZMA, TCP, NGPDA, WRD, Revenue, Land survey departments in the mystery of how land was reclaimed by private parties systematically from Ourem creek near Neuginagar and a privately-owned community centre suddenly appeared within eco-sensitive area of CRZ by destroying the ancient drainage system of Fontainhas. It’s one of Panaji’s best kept land grab secret. This case is not different than the Merces private hotel case.
Panaji, Santa Cruz and Taleigao constituencies are full of environmental violations which make a mockery of regional plan and ODPs. PWD and TCP turned a blind eye when a sprawling private dance floor and recreational area was created behind Calapurs’ Bondir ward abutting on Panaji-Bambolim bypass. The ecologically and economically destructive model of reckless land use change offered by Santa Cruz constituency is an objective lesson for all the champions of RP-2001 or 2021. The four village panchayats in this constituency – Se-Old Goa, Chimbel, Merces and Santa Cruz-Cujira have consistently turned a blind eye to ecologically destructive land use changes and encroachments. There were just three small pre-liberation constructions on the Merces lake bundh. What one sees today – shops, garage and vehicle washing station, a food joint causing pollution, parking and traffic problems; a noisy religious place, an ugly steel yard are all illegal encroachments in setback and road widening area.
Merces villagers and the panchayat have woken up very late to check these violations and they should do everything to restore this area. There are grand plans to fill up the truncated Cujira lake, the vast disbanded Khazans and water-logged old salt pans stretching from Ravalobandh Calapur to Arradi Bandh, four pillars and open this eco-sensitive area for planting the eco-destructive and unsustainable Taleigao model of “urban development”. So, as under the directions of National Green Tribunal, the GCZMA becomes reluctantly active to inspect other violations, it would see how land-use policy and all other policies, rules and plans have been sacrificed in the above CRZ area in connivance with local authorities and government departments. (to be continued).
http://www.navhindtimes.in/why-regional-plan-is-regional-pain-v/
THERE is a lot of work in hand for anti-corruption bureau (ACB-Goa), Vigilance department, Goa office of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India and CBI. The latter two authorities should initiate an in-depth inquiry into functioning of GCZMA right from its constitution somewhere in 1996 because this body comes under Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF). The recent verdict of National Green Tribunal serving demolition orders with heavy punitive fine on a private hotel in CRZ area under the jurisdiction of Merces village panchayat and directions given to GCZMA to survey CRZ violations elsewhere show the limits of land-use policy and inefficacy of the regional plan.
It’s not for the first time that politically and socially well connected eco-violators have been exposed by the judiciary. The demolition orders served on a private party on slopes of historic Chapora fort is another example of how government machinery has become blind, passive and corrupt. The learned architects, engineers and activists may dream that a published RP-2021 would automatically change the paradigm and Goa would become a paradise of law-abiding citizens under the same old Town and Country Planning Board. Then what do all these judgments show? Such judgments expose the massive scale of malpractices, favoritism and corruption in government departments and local authorities. And the most beautiful aspect of this institutionalised pliable and corrupt system is that regime change does not affect the corrupt transactions when prime land is involved.
The Chief Town Planner (CTP) now armed with a doctorate sits within shouting distance of these sites of violations but he too is not interested to stand by law and ‘suo moto’ without fear or favour file FIRs, sparing none based on available, recordable evidence. If he spends just half a working day in a jeep survey to inspect violations of TCP Act, 1974 and Rules in Panaji, Santa Cruz and Taleigao constituencies then his hands would be full in filing tens of FIRs within a radius of five kilometers from his office. When and which government would give us, the people of Goa, such fearless Chief Town Planners?
Destruction of Mangroves
Local people from Merces, Ribandar, Chimbel have seen over past 25 years how private parties have been engaged in destruction of mangroves, filling up of Khazan lands and salt pans and violation of ancient drainage system in area running parallel to Ribandar causeway. The 400 hectares Khazan land area between Chimbel creek and Ourem creek was a double crop rice bowl of Tiswadi taluka for past three thousand years. An inspection would reveal how rivulets, low-lying Khazan lands and salt pans between Hira Petrol Pump, Panaji and the Merces road intersection were illegally reclaimed.
How revenue authorities permitted trade activities in this reclaimed eco-sensitive CRZ area? GCZMA has become merely an academic, ornamental body. The official and non-official members who worked on GCZMA since 1996 have seldom taken fearless stand to enforce their mandate which is under a powerful central act – Environmental Protection Act, 1986. State government just can’t interfere in their jurisdiction. The Cabinet can’t dictate GCZMA. The honorable court should have fixed direct responsibilities because it is just impossible that none of these GCZMA members while traveling did not notice these violations which ordinary people who don’t have powers like them noticed for 25 years. The least that the non-official members can do now is to submit their resignations owing to personal and moral responsibility for not upholding the rule of law. They are also responsible for not imposing their mandate on the tidal part of river of Nagali or Taleigao, known as creek of Santa Inez. They are afraid to admit that the tidal creek falls under GCZMA and is a clear CRZ area.
Investigate Land Reclamation
Due to the fear of the ruling politicians and pressure from developers, not a single official statement has originated on actual legal status of Santa Inez creek from this statutory body. Members of GCZMA know that CCP has no business to interfere with the creek. A detail investigation has to be launched by CCP, GCZMA, TCP, NGPDA, WRD, Revenue, Land survey departments in the mystery of how land was reclaimed by private parties systematically from Ourem creek near Neuginagar and a privately-owned community centre suddenly appeared within eco-sensitive area of CRZ by destroying the ancient drainage system of Fontainhas. It’s one of Panaji’s best kept land grab secret. This case is not different than the Merces private hotel case.
Panaji, Santa Cruz and Taleigao constituencies are full of environmental violations which make a mockery of regional plan and ODPs. PWD and TCP turned a blind eye when a sprawling private dance floor and recreational area was created behind Calapurs’ Bondir ward abutting on Panaji-Bambolim bypass. The ecologically and economically destructive model of reckless land use change offered by Santa Cruz constituency is an objective lesson for all the champions of RP-2001 or 2021. The four village panchayats in this constituency – Se-Old Goa, Chimbel, Merces and Santa Cruz-Cujira have consistently turned a blind eye to ecologically destructive land use changes and encroachments. There were just three small pre-liberation constructions on the Merces lake bundh. What one sees today – shops, garage and vehicle washing station, a food joint causing pollution, parking and traffic problems; a noisy religious place, an ugly steel yard are all illegal encroachments in setback and road widening area.
Merces villagers and the panchayat have woken up very late to check these violations and they should do everything to restore this area. There are grand plans to fill up the truncated Cujira lake, the vast disbanded Khazans and water-logged old salt pans stretching from Ravalobandh Calapur to Arradi Bandh, four pillars and open this eco-sensitive area for planting the eco-destructive and unsustainable Taleigao model of “urban development”. So, as under the directions of National Green Tribunal, the GCZMA becomes reluctantly active to inspect other violations, it would see how land-use policy and all other policies, rules and plans have been sacrificed in the above CRZ area in connivance with local authorities and government departments. (to be continued).
http://www.navhindtimes.in/why-regional-plan-is-regional-pain-v/
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