I would like to inform the people that an important decision is taken by the TCP department to have an expert committee scrutinize all the cases under Section 17(2) of the TCP Act, *the committee has been notified by the Government of Goa.* This committee will have on board members such as the Chairman of the Environment Appraisal Committee, scientists from the Centre for Environment Education, architects, engineers, legal experts, the President of GCCI, and officials from the Government of Goa, who will assist us and work in tandem with the Department of TCP. This will ensure total transparency in the workings of the TCP Department.

 

In addition, there are several discrepancies in the RP-21, through which our people have been put through hardships. Large properties and settlement lands, some belonging to poor people, have been converted from settlement to natural cover, orchards, and non-development slopes in the name of rationalization, depriving them of their right to put their land to developable use.

 

The extent of land that was reversed was 6 crore sq. mtrs, which is not allowed under any law without any justification. Hence, we have taken this decision with the government to form this expert committee to scrutinize the situation and present cases to the Government. It is very important that justice be provided to every Goan who has suffered in this process. The committee has been informed to do a thorough investigation into these decisions taken arbitrarily by the previous committee, in the name of rationalization.

 

All the illegalities that were committed will be corrected and reversed. To look further into this matter, an inquiry committee is being set up along with these experts to ensure that transparency is maintained in the decision-making process. This is a complete injustice to our Goans, and as a TCP Minister, I will make sure justice is done. This report will be made public in the next three months. We will conduct a case-by-case inquiry, and the survey numbers of each land will be reversed. The names of the members and minutes of the meeting will be brought into the public domain. Also, a detailed report will be presented to the floor of the house, and the officers involved in such an act will be punished and, if required, suspended before the next assembly session.

 

The government is progressive and will take decisions that will benefit the people while at the same time ensuring sustainability and conservation. The people who didn’t have a voice will be given one. They have suffered for all these years without anyone acknowledging it or knowing where to go. We are here for the people, and we will stand by them, irrespective of the contradictory views.