In a powerful address that resonated with environmental concerns, retired Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Ferdino Rebello launched a sharp critique against the Goa government's perceived neglect of the state's hills. The event, held on Friday to mark Goa Legislators Day in Panaji, saw the former judge demand immediate action to protect the region's fragile topography.
A Scathing Indictment of Government Apathy
Justice Rebello, who also served as a Cuncolim MLA, directed his ire specifically at the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department. He called for the immediate withdrawal of a 2023 circular that permits construction on hills based on contour reports submitted by private architects and agencies. He argued that this rule has led to the rampant and unchecked destruction of Goa's natural landscape.
"This circular of 2023, which allows rampant destruction of our hills, can't be allowed to stand for one more day," Rebello asserted during his speech. He directly questioned the intent of the state's legislators, suggesting they were complicit in the environmental damage. "How long are we going to tolerate the destruction of Goa at the hands of lawmakers?" he asked the gathering.
Demand for Systemic Reforms and Legal Changes
Going beyond just criticising the circular, the retired judge laid out a clear set of demands for systemic reform. He insisted that only government-approved survey maps from the Surveyor General of India should be legally valid for determining hill gradients and contours. He pointed out that existing TCP laws have no provision to bypass these official topography maps.
Rebello's proposals for safeguarding Goa's future were twofold. Firstly, he advocated for a complete ban on all construction activities on hills. Secondly, he demanded amendments to the Land Revenue Code to prevent the conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural uses. As part of this protective measure, he suggested that agricultural land should not be sold to anyone who hasn't been a resident of Goa for at least 30 years.
A Broader Movement for Goa's Environment
This public condemnation is not an isolated incident from Justice Rebello. He has been a leading figure in a growing people's movement within Goa that is pushing for comprehensive reforms in land-use planning and development regulations. His speech underscores a deepening conflict between rapid developmental interests and the urgent need to preserve the state's ecological and cultural heritage.
The event has put the spotlight back on the contentious 2023 TCP circular, placing pressure on the state government and legislators to review policies that environmentalists claim are selling off Goa's natural treasures. The demand to revert to the authority of the Surveyor General of India's maps presents a clear legal and administrative challenge to the current practice.
