Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jul 25: In a significant move aimed at strengthening environmental conservation, the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Board has notified more than 1.01 crore square metres of land in Salcete taluka as a No Development Zone (NDZ), restricting future construction and development in ecologically sensitive areas.

The decision was taken by the TCP Board under the chairmanship of Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane. The notification is intended to preserve fragile ecosystems and prevent unregulated urban expansion in environmentally important regions.

The newly designated NDZ includes 34.36 lakh square metres at São José de Areal, 6.17 lakh square metres at Dicarparle, 36.92 lakh square metres at Curtorim, 20,450 square metres at Benaulim and 24.22 lakh square metres at Mulem.

With the notification now in force, development activities in these identified areas will be restricted in accordance with planning regulations, with the objective of conserving natural landscapes and maintaining ecological balance in the region.

In a related development, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane announced that the Goa Forest Department is in the final stages of preparing its long-awaited report on private forests and will submit it to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) before August 15.

The report, which has remained pending for nearly two decades, is expected to identify more than 15 crore square metres of land as private forest across the state.

Once the findings are formally notified, the identified private forest areas will come under the applicable legal protection framework governing forest conservation. The move is expected to strengthen safeguards against indiscriminate development and contribute to the long-term preservation of Goa's forest cover and ecological resources.