GBA Press Releases
Replace outdated Goa TCP Act, 1974
20th July 2010
Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) has been holding a series of agitations over
the outdated Goa TCP Act, 1974 act and drafting of the Regional Plan 2021. They had demanded that the act should be in consonance with Article 243 ZD as amended by the 73rd and 74th amendments to devolve powers to municipal bodies and panchayats and district planning committees for the purpose of participatory planning.
GBA convenor Sabina Martins: "The GBA had recently written to the chief minister asking that the TCP Act be amended to incorporate provisions of the 73rd and 74th amendments, which would ensure a bottom-up participatory planning.
But while the government has amended the TCP Act (Sections 16 and 16A)
to allow projects through the back door, it has not incorporated the
73rd and 74th amendments sought by the people in Goa in formulating
the RP 2021. We hope that the review committee will stand firm in
ensuring what the government failed to do in terms of participatory
planning and revoking Sections 16 and 16A of the TCP Act"
GBA Jr. Secretary Mr. Miguel Braganza: The "Goa TCP Act Review Committee" is one of the 774 Committees formed by the Digamber-led Goa Government that has not yet had the opportunity to meet! The members of the other 649 out of the 1423 committees [set up in the 3 years or 1095 days it has been in power @ 1.299 committees per day] have met at least once.
The new committee has to do the work that the Seminar on Draft Goa TCP Act, 1998 on 09 October, 1998 and the Seminar to consider amendments to the Goa TCP Act, 1974 held on 13 October, 2007 [both in the new Assembly/Secretariat Complex and headed by the respective Chief Ministers of the day,with present and past Chief Town Planners and leading advocates in attendance] could not. We wish all the members of that committee all the luck and good fortune in their endeavor. May they succeed where all others have failed since the 73rd and 74th amendments were passed in 1992, the Goa Panchayti Raj Act was amended and replaced in 1994 and the Goa TCP Act, 1974 was amended in 1997 [Section 17-A & B addition], 2007 [withdrawal of RP 2011] and 2008 [amendment to Section 16 & 16 A for project PPP ani mor]. The obsolete and anachronistic Goa Municipal Act, 1968 is still in force and no one has found the time to frame rules under the CCP Act of 2000 till date. Taleigao is a village republic with its own ODP, where TCP rules for lesser villages do not apply, and the fate of Chicalim-Dabolim, Issorcim and Chicolna villages in Marmagoa taluka are tied to the apron or pajama-strings of Vasco da Gama. Soccoro, Salvador do Mundo, Penha de France, Pilerne and Sangolda villages in Bardez have a "No Man's Land" called Porvorim
On the Technical Manual entitled "GOA BEYOND 2000" for the "Technical Convention on 'New Regional Plan for Goa' and Model town & Country Planning Act' 9 October, 1998" organised by the Town & Country Planning Department, Government of Goa and Institute of Town Planners, India, the issues discussed included Town Planning, Transportation, Shift in Beach Tourism, Bodgueshwar Plaza-Town Planning Scheme, Role of Remote Sensing and GIS in Town Planning, CRZ, etc. Mr. Morad Ahmad, Mr. S. T. Puttaraju, Mr. A.P. Diniz, Mr. Vinod Kumar [all still serving in the Goa TCP Dept] were [present and presented papers along with Mr. R. N. Ray and Mr. E. R. "Babush" Godinho, both since retired. the event was sponsred by Karan Grover & Associates, the architects of the new Assembly complex where the MLA now meet.
This is what Dr. Nandkumar Kamat penciled in the top margin of the book cover:
"I attended this Convention where I discovered that the politicians were scared to repeal the old TCP /Act,1974 and pass the circulated model TCP Act." and signed it "Dr. Nandkumar Kamat"
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Attached below is the Government notification to constitute an
eight-member committee to review the Goa, Daman and Diu Town & Country
Planning Act, 1974.
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Published in Government Official Gazette, Panaji, 15th July, 2010
(Ashada 24, 1932) SERIES II No. 16
Department of Town & Country Planning
Order Ref. No. 36/1/Tcp/49/2010/2309
Government is pleased to constitute Committee consisting of following
members for the purpose of review of the Goa, Daman and Diu Town &
Country Planning Act, 1974.
1. Commissioner & Secretary (TCP) … Chairman.
2. Adv. Mahesh Sonak … Member.
3. Adv. Nitin Sardesai … Member.
4. Adv. Cleofato Countinho … Member.
5. Under Secretary (Drafting/ … Member.
/Law) Law Department
6. Ms. Patricia Pinto … Member.
7. Shri Shridhar Kamat … Member.
8. Shri James Mathew, … Member
Senior Town Planner Convenor.
The Members at Sr. No. 6 and 7 represent Civil Society as nominated by
the Government.
The terms and reference of the Committee will be to review the Goa,
Daman and Diu Town & Country Planning Act, 1974 and making it in the
fitness of the present situation vis-à-vis other Rules, Laws, Acts,
etc. The Committee shall also suggest deletion of the irrelevant parts
which are not in the fitness of present day situation.
By order and in the name of the Governor of Goa.
Morad Ahmad,
Chief Town Planner/ex officio Joint Secretary.
Panaji, 7th July, 2010.
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