Scrap notice for Ella land conversion near Old Goa heritage site, say locals

Panaji: A public notice about zone changes to properties under section 39A of the Town & Country Planning Act in Ella under surveys nos. 68/1-C and 65/3 (part) should be scrapped to preserve the sanctity of Old Goa’s heritage site and ensure participatory planning, stated citizens and local activists.
They pointed out that basic details of the applicant’s name, land area and proposed zoning details are missing in the notice.Both these plots are on a piece of land with a gradient – difficult for development purpose - along the railway track adjacent to the heritage site of Our Lady of the Mount Chapel within the influence zone of Carambolim Lake, which is a notified wetland.
The rules under Goa Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1978 prohibit mining, digging activities near protected monuments, Canon Alfred Vaz, president of Cathedral Chapter said in his objections.
Due to the presence of slopes, “Any development, especially hill cutting activities poses a risk of destablising the soil/rock of the hill, resulting in collapse of the (railway) tunnel, “ Vaz stated. This large tract of orchard land is away from settlements and adjacent to private forests and natural cover with no settlement nearby. “Ella does not need such haphazard development but given Old Goa’s importance as a heritage site that attracts global tourists requires a master plan,” Glean Cabral, a local activist stated.
Piecemeal development will only worsen problems of traffic congestion, noise and air pollution of Old Goa as a world heritage site, petitions from citizens to TCP stated. The development has to be studied for various impacts.
“These impacts include the potential for landslides, flooding, and construction-related pollution, particularly affecting groundwater,” citizens said in their memorandum. Samil Volvaiker, Trinamool Congress (TMC) functionary and panchayat officials from Old Goa, Congress’ Girish Chodankar are also among those who submitted a memorandum opposing the zone changes. “The amendment 39A has provisions only for suggestions despite ministers' assurance in assembly,” Chodankar said.