Goa’s Town and Country Planning Minister, Vishwajit Rane, is under growing political pressure and facing public anger as the government rushes to rewrite rules related to the controversial Section 17(2) of the TCP Act. This comes after a March ruling by the Bombay High Court in Goa that struck down important parts of the law and sparked a bigger investigation into land conversion approvals across the state.
The court, responding to a public interest petition, pointed out that the process of converting large areas of land mainly agricultural and environmentally sensitive under Section 17(2) wasn’t properly regulated or transparent. This decision impacts about 26.5 lakh square meters of land. At first, the government planned to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court and even involved senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi. But just days later, the government dropped the appeal and said it would instead change the law to fit the court’s concerns.
To regain trust, Minister Rane announced setting up a special expert committee made up of lawyers, environmental scientists, town planners, and architects. This group will review all land-use changes approved under Section 17(2) since it began. “The panel will make sure things are fair, correct improper land use, and suggest action against any wrongdoing. We want full transparency,” Rane said. Officials say over 6 crore square meters of land have been processed under this section, with about 30% now being looked into. There are claims that some approvals broke planning rules and may have favored companies linked to Rane and other political figures.
Public anger has boiled over, with large protests in Panaji, Bardez, and Tiswadi during March and April, led by NGOs and opposition groups. Protesters accused the TCP Minister of “systematic land grabbing” disguised as development. Activist Remedios Fernandes from Save Goa Now said, “This is not just a few bad cases but a pattern of political corruption.” Online, many citizens are demanding a full judicial investigation into the department’s fast approvals.
The original court petition also revealed Goa lost ₹7.1 crore in revenue due to undercharging fees for land conversion. The government is now trying to recover this money. The court also questioned why ₹4 crore in public money was spent on legal fees without proper approval. The TCP department has been ordered to stop all new land conversions under the current rules, and all pending requests are frozen while the expert committee completes its review.
With the court’s stay on Section 17(2) expiring soon, the government plans to present new rules during the upcoming Monsoon Session of the Goa Assembly. These updated rules are expected to clearly set zoning guidelines, limit conversion of farm and eco-sensitive land, and require public consultations. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, “We will ensure accountability. The new rules will stop such misuse from happening again.” But whether this will satisfy the public remains unclear.
