Panaji: A strong call for safeguarding Goa’s fragile environment and agricultural heritage has emerged with the submission of a Land Protection Bill draft prepared by retired Justice Ferdino Rebello. The draft, backed by the Enough is Enough movement, is being placed before leaders of all major political parties and independent MLAs, with the demand that it be discussed in the forthcoming Budget Assembly Session.

Why This Bill Matters

For decades, Goa’s hills, rivers, and fertile fields have faced relentless pressure from construction and conversion. The draft bill seeks to put an end to unchecked permissions and restore accountability in land use. It is not just a legal document—it is a manifesto for protecting Goa’s natural legacy.

Key Provisions of the Bill

• No more construction beyond settlement zones: The Bill halts new permissions outside the 526.31 sq. km settlement zone defined in Regional Plan 21.
• Stop illegal hill cutting: All permissions granted for cutting hills and slopes against the 2010 Chief Town Planner guidelines will be nullified.
• Public interest only: Cutting of slopes up to 25% gradient will be allowed strictly in public interest, with written reasons recorded by the Chief Town Planner.
• Reconsider past permissions: All approvals under Section 17(2) and 39(A) of the TCP Act will be reviewed against the Goa Land Use Act, 1991 and the Code of Comunidades, which prohibit conversion of tenanted agricultural land.
• Repeal Section 39(A): This controversial clause of the TCP Act will be scrapped.
• Protect paddy fields: Amendments will stop tenancy paddy fields from being converted into settlement zones or diverted under loopholes in the Land Revenue Code.
• New Section 22(A): Agricultural land cannot be transferred for non-agricultural purposes, nor to non-agriculturists. It can only be transferred to a Goan agriculturist, with a 30-year residency condition.

The Larger Vision

The Bill aims to bring transparency and accountability in land development, ensuring that non-agricultural projects conform strictly to the settlement zones. It seeks to protect Goa’s hills, fields, and rivers from speculative conversion and unchecked urban sprawl.

Citizen Movement

The draft has already been submitted to BJP leader Damu Naik, Congress President Amit Patkar, and AAP President Valmiki Naik. In the coming days, leaders of the movement will meet all other party heads. The demand is clear: debate this Bill in the Assembly and act before Goa’s land is lost forever.