Mapusa: After objecting to proposed zone changes in the village under Section 39A, Aldona villagers on Sunday unanimously resolved that Section 39A of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act, 1974, should be repealed in its entirety.
The gram sabha also decided that the Aldona panchayat would write to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department conveying the villagers’ demand for the complete repeal of Section 39A. The decision was taken at the ordinary gram sabha meeting held on Sunday.
Gram sabha member Nelson Figueiredo moved a proposal seeking the repeal of Section 39A. He questioned the designation of already protected areas such as orchards, rivers and nullahs, mangroves, salt pans, fish farms and forests as no-development zones.
“When these areas are already protected under various legislations such as the Coastal Regulation Zone and eco-sensitive regulations, what is the need to designate them again as no-development zones? There seems to be something that is not being shown clearly,” said Figueiredo.
Another villager, Thomas Tavares, objected to the proposed conversion of orchard land to settlement in Survey No. 330/13 at Gavar in Aldona, and the proposal was opposed by the villagers.
Tavares, Cosme Fernandes and other villagers asked the sarpanch to reject the conversion proposal.
They also urged the panchayat to object to every survey number notified by the TCP Department for zone changes under Section 39A, submit objections to the Chief Town Planner within the stipulated 30-day period, and display copies of the objections on the panchayat notice board.
Sarpanch Ashwin D’Souza agreed with the villagers and said the panchayat would object to the proposed zone changes. He also informed the gram sabha that, following the resolution passed at the previous meeting, the panchayat had refused permission for a project with a swimming pool in the village.
The issue of mandatory signboards at construction sites was raised by Fernandes. He demanded that the panchayat ensure all mandatory signboards were displayed.
Gram sabha members also asked the Sarpanch to display details of construction licences and NOCs on the panchayat notice board.
Demanding strict action against builders who fail to display the required details, villagers urged the panchayat to impose a fine of 5 per cent of the total estimated cost of the construction project.
