Daijiworld Media Network – Panjim

Panjim, Apr 30: Three real estate firms have approached the High Court of Bombay at Goa challenging the State government’s decision to roll back land-use changes granted under Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act in the Sant Andre constituency.

The petitions follow the government’s February 25 order suspending and withdrawing all change-of-zone proposals in the area with immediate effect, a move that came in response to sustained public protests led by residents of Palem-Siridao. The agitation, which later gained support across Goa, opposed the use of Section 39A to convert orchard and natural cover zones into settlement areas.

The firms have argued that they had obtained necessary approvals and no-objection certificates for land conversion under Section 39A, and that the subsequent rollback was carried out without prior notice or an opportunity to be heard. They contended that the decision violates principles of natural justice and due process.

Acting on the petitions, the High Court has issued notices to the State government and the TCP Department, seeking their response. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on June 17.

Earlier, the TCP Department had ordered the immediate suspension of all provisional and final land conversions under Section 39A in the Sant Andre constituency. The provision, introduced after the scrapping of Section 18B, had enabled large-scale land-use changes and had drawn criticism from civil society groups.

Meanwhile, the Goa Foundation has also challenged the constitutional validity of Section 39A and its rules, adding to the ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding the provision, which has emerged as a key flashpoint between development and environmental concerns.