Panaji: A division bench of the Bombay High Court today passed on order disposing of the PIL filed by Mapusa tenant associations against the implementation of the Mapusa Town Planning Scheme in tenanted lands.
The disposal order came after Government filed an affidavit informing that the town and country planning department had ordered revision of Mapusa outline development plan (ODP).
As of the date of the order, the notified town planning scheme in the Mapusa ODP has ceased to exist.
“Since the purported illegalities in the existing ODP are the subject matter of challenge in the present petition and a revision is being undertaken by respondent No.3 of the ODP based on Government directions, the main grievance of the petitioners is redressed,” the order stated.
“The petition is accordingly disposed of as infructuous,” it added.
The PIL filed by the Camarcasan Bundh Tenants Association and the Goa Foundation challenged the Town Planning Scheme notified under the ODP of Mapusa on 28.11.2016.
The PIL alleged that if these land use changes are allowed, Mapusa city would lose more than 80% of its agricultural lands (nearly 18 lakh square metres). Further, part of the area under the TPS II which is khazan area was protected and categorised as a No Development Zone under the CRZ Notification 2011 when the ODP was notified.
