Understanding Section 39A: Goa’s 2024 Land‑Use Amendment
Understanding Section 39A: Goa’s 2024 Land‑Use Amendment
Decoding Section 39A: Transparency, Ecology, and Misuse Concerns
Section 39A refers to a provision in the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, 1974, introduced through an amendment in 2024 (notified around early 2024, with some sources mentioning related changes from 2023). It allows for changes in land-use zoning (also called "change of zone" or spot zoning) on specific parcels of land.
What Section 39A Allows
The Chief Town Planner (Planning), on government direction or upon receiving an application, can alter or modify the Regional Plan and/or Outline Development Plan (ODP) to change the zoning of a particular plot of land.
Common changes involve converting land classified as orchard, natural cover, paddy field, no-development slope, agricultural, or green zones into settlement zones (where construction/building is permitted).
The process includes:
A 30-day public notice in the Official Gazette inviting suggestions/objections from the public.
Scrutiny and approval by the TCP Board.
Final approval by the Chief Town Planner/Government.
Environmental Impact -
Goa’s landscape is ecologically fragile — forests, mangroves, and water springs sustain villages.
Section 39A could lead to loss of biodiversity, water depletion, and soil erosion.
Enables faster, easier "spot zoning" for individual plots, bypassing broader participatory planning processes.
Accelerates urban sprawl and conversion of green/agricultural land, threatening Goa's limited land resources.
Seen as favoring builder-politician nexus or high-net-worth individuals, leading to large profits (e.g., orchard land at ~₹1,000/sq.m vs. settlement land at up to ₹40,000/sq.m).
Weak public consultation in practice — 30-day notice often criticized as insufficient for meaningful input.
Ongoing legal challenges, including PILs (Public Interest Litigations) in courts.
Major threat to green cover Goa has already seen conversions of lakhs of sq.m of orchards, natural cover, hills, and eco-sensitive areas into buildable land since 2024.
Leads to loss of biodiversity, forest canopy, laterite plateaus, khazan lands, paddy fields, and water-recharging ecosystems.
Increases risks of environmental degradation, flooding, reduced groundwater, destruction of traditional livelihoods (agriculture, fishing), and harm to cultural heritage.
Critics (including activists like Goa Bachao Abhiyan, villagers, MLAs like Viresh Borkar, and groups) call it a "backdoor entry" for converting protected/fragile land, with massive misuse alleged for private real estate gains rather than genuine public benefit.
Widespread protests across Goa (including marches to Azad Maidan, gheraos of ministers' residences, and demonstrations at TCP offices) have erupted, with thousands demanding its scrapping.
Some zone changes have been halted or suspended in areas like St. Andre amid unrest.
Reports estimate significant green space loss (e.g., 66 lakh sq.m in related amendments since 2017), with Section 39A seen as continuing this trend.
Misuse Potential -
Real estate speculation: converting cheap agricultural land into high-value plots.
Political influence: approvals may favor developers close to power.
Reduced accountability: fewer checks mean higher risk of corruption.
Community displacement: locals may lose traditional land rights.
Section 39A has become highly controversial in Goa. Many view it as accelerating ecological destruction and unchecked development, leading to statewide agitation as of February 2026
