Manch alarmed over unabated degradation of environment

HERALD REPORTER
Manch alarmed over unabated degradation of environment HERALD REPORTERMARGAO, FEB 20 Ganv Ghar Rakhonn Manch has expressed alarm at the continuing unabated degradation of the Goan environment, with constructions that continue to get sanctioned and called upon village groups to be vigilant and not get distracted by promises that are made that are not strengthened legally by the government.Saying that commercial buildings continue to climb toward the sky, deface the environment and mar people’s livelihood options, completely disregarding the basic infrastructure and the topography of the area, the Manch has reiterated its demand for a total freeze on the processing of all commercial construction licenses in Village Panchayat areas, and the commencement or continuation of construction on the basis of such licenses and permissions until the Regional Plan 2021 is approved, while stating that there can be no ban on licenses for constructions undertaken for domestic purposes such as renovation, repair or extension to existing houses or the construction of single-dwelling units for personal residence. GGRM has said that successive Government have only been paying lip-service to participatory democracy and have not legislated on legal procedures for the same, thereby enabling them to back track on their commitments. The Manch pointed out that there has been no legal change to the Town and Country Planning Act, and other related legislation and neither a withdrawal of legislation or policies which deny the people a voice in the say of areas otherwise within their village. GGRM has also remarked that there has also not been any effective empowerment of the panchayats, to ensure that they would be capable of formulating Village Development Plans (which includes spatial planning), which would contribute to a renewed Regional Plan 2021. There have been no positive signals by the Government indicating its respect for the various resolutions of Gram Sabhas in the State, in so far as they are not violative of fundamental rights under the Constitution of India, GGRM has observed. GGRM has warned that any Regional Plan that does not give realization to the vision of the 73rd and the 74th amendments of bottom-up planning will be actively resisted by the people and that similar will be the case with any building regulations, or any other regulations, if imposed on the Village Panchayats unless they are sufficiently discussed in the Gram Sabhas of the State. It has reiterated its demand that the onus for eliciting public response must fall on the State, and toward this end it must at the earliest spell out a procedure through which it will be possible for Gram Sabhas to obtain from a competent resource person, sufficient information regarding any proposed changes to the law, to facilitate informed debate in the Gram Sabhas. Saying that GGRM will leave no stone unturned to expose the connivance of the government with the powerful anti people lobby, the Manch has called upon all village groups to be vigilant and not to be distracted by promises that are made that are not strengthened legally by the Government