Govt to frame new rules for constructions

In my repeated visits to Goa, asking the Shri Morad Ahmed, as to what can his office do make Goa the model state, aligning development with needs of locals seems to not have gone to deaf ears, specially with peoples movement coming shape across Goa.

HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MAY 19 — The Goa Government is in the process of giving final touches to a set of new regulations for laying down unified procedures for land development and constructions across the State.
The Government will invite objections and suggestions from the public on the draft regulations within a month, Chief Town Planner, Morad Ahmad told Herald. As per the Goa (Regulation of Land Development and Building Construction) Act, 2008, public view is to be obtained for a period of 30 days by issuing a notification.
This is going to be a unified regulation for any kind of construction in the State of Goa and apprehensions are already being raised by the panchayats and municipalities over the issue.
The Bill was passed in the last Assembly session mainly to introduce centralized regulations which as of now are being executed separately by local bodies – panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporation besides PDAs. The three institutions are currently having their rules for land development and building constructions.
Sources said the regulations would provide for zoning of the land, general requirement of land development, group housing, sub-division of land including amalgamation of plots,preservation and conservation and importantly, procedure for seeking development permission from panchayats, municipal councils/corporation and Planning & Development Authorities (PDAs).
According to the provision of the Act, any application for land development or construction of building received by the Panchayat/municipal council/municipal corporation would be forwarded by them to the respective district level/taluka level office of Town & Country Planning Department for obtaining No Objection Certification (NOC) from planning point of view.
The Act also envisages an interim provision to facilitate the authorities to follow the regulations, bye-laws and rules which are being followed until the new rules and regulations come into force.
The Government will set up a Steering Committee headed by the Chief Minister as its chairman which in turn will appoint a Sub-Committee consisting of Director of Municipal Administration, Director of Panchayats, chairman of Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry, chairman of Goa Chamber of Housing Industry, a representative each of registered local chapter/association of town planners, engineers and architects to consider objections and suggestions received from the public. It will have to submit a report to the Steering Committee within two months.
The Steering Committee, after considering the report of the sub-committee, will submit its report with recommendations, to the Government within 30 days of receipt of the sub-committee’s report.