Goa Government Halts All Construction Near Bondvoll Lake with 200-Meter Buffer Zone
In a significant environmental move, Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vishwajit Rane declared on Monday that the TCP department will enforce a strict prohibition on any construction or development activities within a 200-meter radius of Bondvoll Lake. This decision comes as the Goa State Wetland Authority works to determine the official status of the area, ensuring no permissions are granted until clarity is achieved.
Minister Rane Issues Directives to Protect Lake Ecosystem
Rane emphasized that directions have been formally issued to the TCP to withhold all building approvals around the lake until the Wetland Authority resolves the zone's classification. He clarified that no land conversion to settlement occurred during his tenure, attributing any existing settlement areas to the Regional Plan 2021. "Unless and until the Wetland Authority sorts out the issue of the Bondvoll Lake area, directions were issued to the chief town planner that, till then, the TCP will not grant permissions within 200 metres of the lake," Rane stated, adding that the matter will be presented to the TCP Board for further deliberation.
TCP Board Meeting Scheduled and Environmental Concerns Addressed
The TCP Board is set to convene on February 18 to discuss this issue, with Rane noting that the Wetland Authority's eventual decision will be binding. This announcement follows mounting concerns from environmentalists and local activists about construction encroaching on Bondvoll Lake. Residents have been vocal in demanding stronger protections for the water body and its surrounding ecosystem, with Santa Cruz villagers specifically urging the Goa State Wetlands Authority to notify the area as a zone of influence.
Activists, including St Cruz activist Arturo D'Souza, met with Minister Rane to advocate for maintaining the 200-meter buffer. "Instead of fighting with different builders, and since the Wetland Board is yet to decide what is required, we decided to meet the minister to tell him not to give permissions for construction within the 200 metres around the lake. He agreed to take a decision at the TCP Board, and we found it quite reasonable," D'Souza explained.
Minister Responds to Demands and Reaffirms Government Process
Rane also addressed queries regarding the TCP repealing Section 39A of the TCP Act, a demand raised by the Enough is Enough movement led by retired Allahabad Chief Justice Ferdino Rebello. He dismissed the notion that government decisions are influenced by external pressures, stating, "Govt does not take decisions because someone is telling us. Govt functions democratically. It cannot bring out a march and walk on the streets. Otherwise, 10,000 people can be brought from Sattari. If someone wants something, they should stand for elections, win, and form govt, and then take all the decisions that they want."
This proactive stance by the TCP department underscores Goa's commitment to balancing development with environmental conservation, as stakeholders await the Wetland Authority's crucial ruling on Bondvoll Lake's status.
