Goa government bans land conversion

The real estate sector in Goa is set to suffer a setback with the state government deciding to ban land conversions in the state. Land conversions refer to the change of agricultural land for construction of settlements for industrial and residential purposes.

The decision was taken at the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Board meeting last week. However, the board has allowed change in zoning in some exceptional cases such as government projects.

The board has also approved the regional plan up to 2011. The Outline Development Plans (ODP) for Panjim and Taleigao were also finalised in the meeting. The ODPs of Margao, Vasco, Ponda and Mapusa were presented to the board by the respective district officers. The board has decided to invite people's feedback and a workshop would be organised to elicit people's view, said official sources.

The revised regional plan was approved with several changes in the final draft published some months ago.

Following suggestions from various NGOs and other bodies, the TCP Board has decided to take measures for the protection of heritage sites including forts, buildings of historical and architectural importance, and some eco-sensitive areas such as mangroves, salt pans and khazan lands.

The board is planning IT Parks both in Dona Paula and Socorro.

Land conversions were banned by Chief Secretary Kiran Dhingra, till the finalisation of regional plan.The notification was withdrawn two months ago following protests in and outside the Assembly. In ten years, the regional plan has undergone more than 950 changes.

The draft regional plan which was kept for public scrutiny received around 1900 responses. At the grass-root level, taluka-based town planners with respective BDOs elicited views of sarpanchas, said official sources.

The board has given nod to the civic bodies for identification of land for solid waste management purposes irrespective of the nature of land - paddy fields, quarry, etc.

To badly affect realty in state

The ban on land conversion, as decided by the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Board, may affect builders and all those who plan to build a residential house. The entrepreneurs who plan to set up public-private ventures in Goa will be badly hit.

The decision may affect private party-built public-oriented projects proposed on properties which have so far not been converted. Proposed projects of builders in areas where zoning is not changed will not get clearance casting a shadow on the booming real estate industry in Goa.

Mumbai and Pune-based builders have shown keen interest in Goa in the last few months.