Panaji, Dec 23 (TOI): Rejecting the reopening of the Regional Plan (RP) 2021 for public suggestions as a mockery of democratic process, the Council for social justice and peace, an organ of the church, has demanded that the RP be kept in abeyance until the town and country planning act is reformulated.

The recent move to open the RP 2021 for public suggestions appears more of an excuse to accommodate land use changes by appearing to give an impression that the planning is participatory, transparent and accountable, said executive secretary-CSJP, Fr Savio Fernandes. The council continues to hold that the Town and Country Planning Act, 1975, is archaic and obsolete in the aftermath of the 73rd and 74th Constitution amendments, he said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

In 2010, the council in consultation with a couple of reputed town planners of the country had presented to the Goa government a "Model Goa Development Planning Act" for consideration. Since there has not been any positive response from the government in this regard, the council assumes that the government is not serious about doing justice to the regional planning process by shunning from its duty of providing the much required clear and definite guidelines and wide contribution from stakeholders. The process of inviting suggestions is in no way beneficial in safeguarding the interests of the people of Goa, it said.