Following protests from the Goa Bachao Abhiyan and a meeting with the Chief Secretary on Thursday, the North Goa collector has revoked the conversion sanads of all 15 projects in North Goa that were sanctioned under the controversial Regional Plan 2011. Six conversion sanads in South Goa were already revoked by the South Goa collector in July 2007.
Sources in the North Goa collector’s office confirmed that there were 34 NOCs issued by the town and country planning department for conversion sanads in North Goa of which only 15 sanads were actually issued. All these were revoked on Friday. Copies of the revocation order were also sent to the superintendent of police (North) for enforcement. The deputy collectors and mamlatdars were also directed to visit all the 15 sites and ensure compliance of the revocation order. The sources also said that of the 15 cases, work had started only in six cases. Of the six cases, two are for regularisation but that cannot be done now, sources said.
Unhappy that work on many of the projects sanctioned under Regional Plan 2011 was still continuing, the GBA held a meeting with the Chief Secretary on Thursday and pointed out specific cases of such violations including a project in Marra-Pilerne in Bardez. The GBA also questioned the sincerity of the government to enforce its pledge of revoking permissions given under RP-2011. At a press conference yesterday, the GBA threatened to launch a mass movement and bring people out on the streets once again if the government failed to immediately halt the ongoing works. But sources in the North Goa collector’s office said that before withdrawing conversion sanads, show-cause notices have to be issued to the parties as per the land revenue code. These were issued and replies in some cases had been received.
When contacted, the South Goa collector said there were also 15 cases in all in South Goa. Of these nine cases had not been granted conversion sanads and only six sanads were issued. But the town and country planning department wrote to the South Goa collector that all 15 NOCs had been revoked by the department. Acting on that, the South Goa collector revoked the six conversion sanads and also informed the nine other applicants that their cases cannot be processed, the South Goa collector said.
Meanwhile the Chief Secretary Mr J P Singh said that he will hold a meeting with the GBA on Monday to review the status of the projects.
-Navhind Times, Goa Daily
