Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, Jun 27: The Goa government has notified over 1.03 crore square metres of ecologically sensitive land in South Goa’s Salcete taluka as a No Development Zone (NDZ) under the Regional Plan, Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Friday.
The notified area includes salt pans, paddy fields and other environmentally sensitive lands spread across seven villages in Salcete taluka.
Rane said the move aims to strengthen environmental conservation efforts and protect Goa’s fragile ecosystems from unregulated development.
The largest portion of the protected land is located in Talaulim village, covering 29.13 lakh square metres, followed by Majorda with 17.64 lakh square metres, Seraulim with 16.81 lakh square metres, Loutolim with 16.71 lakh square metres, Utorda with 9.92 lakh square metres, Orlim with 9.49 lakh square metres and Calata with 4.08 lakh square metres.
The total notified area stands at 103.78 lakh square metres.
The notification is part of the state government’s ongoing initiative to identify and safeguard environmentally sensitive areas under the Regional Plan by restricting developmental activities in such zones.
Earlier this month, the TCP department had started the process of declaring large stretches of ecologically important land across Goa as NDZs to preserve natural landscapes and agricultural heritage.
The latest notification significantly increases the protected area in Salcete, one of Goa’s rapidly urbanising talukas.