Panjim | April 20, 2016: The State government has decided to identify and mark the forest cover, including notified and private forest areas and operational mining sites, afresh while undertaking the rectification of Regional Plan 2021 (RP21). It has also resolved to maintain the parameters set for eco-sensitive areas by the Union Ministry for Environment and Forest (MoEF) in the land plan.
The first meeting of the State Level Steering Committee (SLC) headed by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Town and Country Planning (TCP) held on Tuesday, decided to notify and implement the land plan taluka wise, so as to hasten the process. The government also intends to include all zonal changes made by the Investment Promotion Board (IPB) in the modified plan.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, D’Souza said the SLC members were confused over the various changes made in both the plans – 2001 and 2021 – and hence wanted to know what the plans actually speak about zonal changes. “We have directed TCP department to submit a report on the various zonal changes made in 2001 and 2021 plans. The next meeting is scheduled on May 2,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that, in principle the committee members have decided to seek details from all the concerned departments like Forest and Mines and Geology, on data pertaining to notified forest covers, private forest areas and area under mining. “We have to put this entire data on the RP21. Whatever addition is there since 2011 till date, we have to add it,” he said.
“However, we have decided to maintain the eco-sensitive parameters set by the Union Ministry in the RP. There will be no changes in it,” the Minister said.
D’Souza said the committee also deliberated on the crucial issue regarding land classified as private forest by the Forest Department whether to be classified or declassified in RP 21. “The process to identify and demarcate private forests is still on and we cannot wait till it gets completed. This is one of the important issues we have to deal with carefully,” he explained.
When asked about the IPB, D’Souza said that it is a dynamic body and all decisions taken by the Board will have to be respected. “We have to include all the zonal changes made by IPB in the plan,” he said. The department received 5,940 applications providing suggestions and comments for rectifying the land plan. All these applications have been categorised under new settlement in ECO-1, new settlement in non ECO-1, to restore 2001 settlement in ECO-1 and non-ECO-1, rectification of houses, temples, road width, fresh demands, etc.
(Source: http://goacom.com/)