Overview
- The Forest Department has mapped 6,729.54 hectares, or about 6.72 crore square metres, along the Mandovi and Zuari as eco-sensitive and sent detailed riverbank maps to the Town and Country Planning department for action.
- Under Goa’s planning rules, once land is marked eco-sensitive the planning authority cannot permit construction or commercial projects there.
- Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane said future building approvals will be granted only on a need-based basis and ruled out development in no-development zones.
- Rane also said his department will file police cases over past rezoning of private forest in Pernem and will refuse permissions within 100 metres of hill slopes.
- The designations are expected to tighten controls on sand mining and real estate along the rivers and now hinge on the TCP integrating the new maps into planning controls.