RP21 opened to change land use, not to consult people: Church
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 23 December 2015 18:16 IST
The Church-run Council for Social Justice and Peace has alleged that the government has found an excuse in inviting public suggestions for the RP21 to actually accommodate land use changes.
The Church organisation has thus rejected the whole exercise and demanded to keep the RP21 in abeyance till the Town and County Planning Act is reformulated.
The CSJP wants it to be opened only after making a legal provision to make local self-governments like panchayats and municipalities part of the planning process, as envisaged in the 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendment.
“This is a mockery of democratic process and in no way beneficial in safeguarding the interests of the people of Goa”, states Fr Savio Fernandes, executive secretary of CSJP.
The Council has also reminded the government about the ‘Model Goa Development Planning Act’ prepared in consultation with a couple of reputed town planners in 2010 and presented to the authorities.
“The Council assumes that the government is not serious about doing justice to the regional planning process by shunning from its duty of providing the much required clear and definite guidelines and wide contribution from stakeholders”, feels Fr Fernandes.
He also alleges that the government is not serious in scientific planning but keeping loopholes to go round in circles and engage the public in a futile exercise.
According to the Council, the consultative process on the RP21 does not have any legally defined parameters and safeguards to ensure that no manipulation can be undertaken by the Town and Country Planning Board, as has been the case in the past.
In Goa there are many Hindu swamis and Maths, Purohits and Bhatajees. They should also form a NGO to express opinions on each and every issue in the "larger interest of Goa". Only risk is it may get branded as communal.