All new realty permissions in Goa on hold: Official

Panaji, April 9 (IANS) Permissions for all new realty developments in Goa from March 20 have been frozen and will be now renewed on a "case-to-case" basis by the state government, a top official said Monday.

The "freeze" orders were issued by the Goa government's Town and Country planning department in a circular issued today, after Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's decision to put on hold the controversial Regional Plan 2021, a proposed land use document which activists claim has been rigged in favour of the real estate lobby.

"All proposals would be kept on hold till the government takes appropriate decision in this regard," Chief Town Planner S Putturaju told reporters here, adding that March 20 had been set as a cut-off date for the decision.

"We have asked all the officials in TCP including its branches to stop issuance of no objection certificates (NOCs) till further orders," the official further said.

The RP2021 had hit controversy with the BJP, which was then in opposition, as well as civil society groups claiming that the Congress-led coalition government had rigged the land use document in favour of the real estate lobby and had illegally converted several agricultural areas into construction zones.