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Goa Citizens Adopt People’s Charter Seeking Rollback of Planning Laws and Hill‑Cutting Ban

Organisers will submit memoranda to top authorities, signaling a grassroots, apolitical push.

Overview

  • The 10-point charter urges repeal of Town and Country Planning Act amendments, notably Sections 17(2) and 39A, that enable zoning changes, user shifts and higher FAR.
  • It seeks an immediate halt to hill development and cutting through an ordinance or a Bill.
  • The demands include strict CRZ enforcement with sealing and demolition after due process, along with removal of offshore casinos from the Mandovi River.
  • The charter calls for village carrying-capacity studies and tighter rules on agricultural land transfers restricted to long-term residents for farming purposes.
  • Speakers spotlighted Regional Plan 2021’s eco-sensitive zones covering about 82% of Goa and warned of erosion since 2018, as organisers build an apolitical network and no official response has been reported.