Panaji: The town and country planning (TCP) department has formally amended the Regional Plan 2021 to designate 9.7 lakh sqm of land as non-developable area (NDA) across Majorda and Gonsua in Salcete and Sao Jorge Island in Mormugao.The three proposals, covering large stretches of paddy fields, khazan land, water bodies, sand dunes and protected forest, have received final approval but remain subject to the outcome of writ petition Nos. 53 and 54 of 2024, pending final disposal before the high court of Bombay at Goa, chief town planner Vertika Dagur said.The notification, issued in the official gazette, completes the Section 39A process for the three parcels after the proposals underwent public scrutiny and were considered by the TCP Board. The department had published the proposals through a notification dated May 6, in the official gazette on May 7, inviting public suggestions and objections for 30 days.Together, the three proposals cover a published area of about 11 lakh sqm, of which 9.7 lakh sqm has now been designated as NDA.The largest approved block is on Sao Jorge Island in Mormugao, where 5.3 lakh sqm has been designated NDA. The land is already classified under the Regional Plan as protected reserve forest with a heritage landscape.The other two proposals are in Salcete. In Majorda, 2.5 lakh sqm has been designated NDA, while 702 sqm has been retained under the settlement zone.The Majorda proposal covers a 250,406-sq-m parcel with a diverse mix of land-use classifications. The Regional Plan records sand dunes, paddy fields, areas falling within irrigation command areas, orchards, water bodies and settlement land among the survey numbers covered by the proposal.Several survey numbers within the parcel have more than one classification, with portions identified as paddy fields falling within irrigation command areas and others as water bodies. Some also comprise orchards and irrigation-command areas. The latest amendment places the overwhelming majority of the parcel in the non-developable category.At Gonsua, the TCP department has designated 195,029 sqm as NDA out of a published area of 195,470 sqm, excluding 441 sqm retained under the settlement zone.The Gonsua parcel comprises a mosaic of khazan land, orchards, paddy fields and water bodies. The published land-use classifications include several survey subdivisions identified as khazan, along with areas classified as orchards and paddy fields.The amendment means the three parcels will now carry a stronger non-development designation under the Regional Plan, limiting the scope for development in areas with agricultural, ecological, forest and heritage significance. However, its implementation remains subject to the outcome of the two writ petitions pending before the high court.
