GBA and village groups formed a working committee to fight the “destruction of Goa” while the RP2021 is being finalised.

Representatives of about 20 village and all-Goa level groups , involved in the participatory planning process for Regional Plan 2021, attended a meeting facilitated by the GBA today at the TB Cunha hall, in the city

The meeting demanded protection of forested lands, paddy fields and plateau regions and other areas marked as Eco-Sensitive-1 and Eco-Sensitive-2 in the draft Regional Plan 2021 notified in October 2009.

It also demanded that notification of the Regional Plan 2021 for public information and suggestions/objections at an early date to put an end to the rampant “development” and mining of eco-sensitive and other areas across Goa and enactment of panchayat, municipal and town planning laws in tune with Article 243 of the Constitution of India after the 73rd and 74th amendments.

All the persons present were unanimous in their demand that the government announce a firm date by which the Regional Plan would be made public and to freeze all no objection certificates (NOCs) and permissions for construction or mining or any other development in eco-sensitive zones till the final notification was issued.

As the government was not responding to the demands, the meeting resolved to come on the streets on March 4 to press for their demands.

Besides members of the GBA core committee, there were representatives of the Mull Goenkaranchi Songhottona [MGS], the Benaulim Villagers Action Committee (BVAC), Pilerne Citizens Forum (PCF), the Zagrut Raikarancho Awaz, South Goa Public Interest Action Group, Voice of Villagers-Verna, SEZ Virodhi Manch, (SVM) the Nagrik Samittee of Kerim, the Jardin Bachao Samiti of Ponda and other organizations and individuals. Civil society organizations (CSOs) were represented by their office bearers and many concerned citizens also attended.

The members will share the decisions with their respective village groups and meet again by the end of February, 2010, to finalize the future course of action.

[Source]