HC issues notices to government on Panaji ODP

PANAJI: The high court on Wednesday sought a reply from government authorities in a public interest litigation challenging the legality of the revised

Panaji

Outline Development Plan (ODP).


The PIL is filed by former chief town planner for the town and country planning organisation, India, Edgar Ribeiro and others.

A division bench on Wednesday ordered notices to be issued to the member secretary North Goa Planning and Development Authority, commissioner of the Corporation of the City of Panaji, chief secretary, chief town planner, secretary urban development, Sidharth Kuncalienkar,

Michael Lobo

and R K Pandita and asked for replies to be filed by March 7.

The petition states that the planning authority violated its planning brief. This was done to solicit and entertain vested interests’ demands for land use changes contrary to public interest and objectives and spatial planning norms laid down in the Goa Town and Country Planning Act, 1974.

Ribeiro, Goa Bachao Abhiyan and

Goa Foundation

are challenging the revised ODP notified on December 28, 2016, presently in force for the city of Panaji.

If the changes are allowed to prevail, the original character, identity and functioning of Panaji would deteriorate beyond recognition and the city and its services would eventually collapse, the petitioners state.

They alleged that the ODP has been notified in violation of the provisions and processes of the Goa TCP Act, 1974, and added that changes carried out are in violation of the Regional Plan 2021 and Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations 2010, which are in force.

The petition prays for an order quashing zone changes that modify the ODP 2009 and 2011 and for a direction to the SIT to conduct an investigation into the manner in which the land use changes were made during the preparation of ODP 2021.

As interim relief, the petitioners have asked for a stay on the December 28, 2016, notification.