Panaji: Over 10 crore square meters of land, including agricultural land, salt pans, khazans, and low-lying areas, will be declared no development zones (NDZ), announced town and country planning (TCP) minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday following a TCP board meeting. He further stated that the department would not grant any technical permissions for construction within religious zones and archaeological sites.
Ecologically Sensitive Areas Identified
Rane revealed that ecologically sensitive plots along the Zuari and Mandovi riverbanks have been identified for conservation. These will be notified as NDZ within a week or the following week, he said. "From the view of conservation, we have decided that the TCP department will give no permission for construction in places like Old Goa and other religious places as well as heritage and archaeological sites. The conservation committee will be strict about this," Rane told reporters.
Buffer Zones and Khazan Lands
The TCP board has decided to constitute a notified committee for the declaration of buffer zones. To protect khazan lands, the department has begun mapping all such lands across the state, with the process expected to take eight to ten days. "We have mapped all the paddy fields and we will release the survey numbers to the public as they are going to be declared as no development zone under the TCP Act sections. These should remain for agriculture use. All these lands will not be given any permission for development," the minister explained.
Private Forest Areas and Mangroves
Rane mentioned that his department will inform the Supreme Court that over 550 survey numbers across Goa have been identified under private forest areas, which will be declared as NDZ to protect forests. "There is already a stay given by the Supreme Court and no development can take place," said Rane. The forest department will implement the MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes) scheme to protect mangroves, he added.
Salt Pans and Hill-Cutting
Salt pans that were converted to settlement in 2021 have been mapped by the forest department and are being marked as ecologically sensitive for protection and conservation. Mangroves will also be preserved. Hill-cutting permission will be granted only if need-based, said Rane. "The TCP and forest departments have to agree on certain aspects and without the forest department's clearance, no permission will be given."
