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The Goa government has notified 1.03 crore sq m of ecologically sensitive land across seven villages in South Goa's Salcete taluka as a No Development Zone (NDZ) under the Regional Plan. The protected land comprises paddy fields, salt pans and other environmentally sensitive areas intended for conservation amid increasing urbanisation. Announcing the decision during the past week, Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane said the notification forms part of the state's ongoing exercise to identify and safeguard fragile ecosystems from development activities. Talaulim accounts for the largest share of the notified area, followed by Majorda, Seraulim, Loutolim, Utorda, Orlim and Calata. The move significantly expands the extent of protected land in one of Goa's fastest-growing regions.
The Goa government has notified 1.03 crore sq m of ecologically sensitive land in South Goa's Salcete taluka as a No Development Zone (NDZ) under the Regional Plan, further expanding the state's efforts to protect environmentally significant areas from urban development. The notification, announced during the past week by Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane, covers salt pans, paddy fields and other ecologically important land spread across seven villages.
According to the minister, the notified land comprises 103.78 lakh sq m in total. Talaulim accounts for the largest protected area with 29.13 lakh sq m, followed by Majorda with 17.64 lakh sq m, Seraulim with 16.81 lakh sq m, Loutolim with 16.71 lakh sq m, Utorda with 9.92 lakh sq m, Orlim with 9.49 lakh sq m and Calata with 4.08 lakh sq m.
Rane said the decision was taken to strengthen environmental conservation measures while safeguarding Goa's fragile ecosystems. The notified land largely comprises ecologically sensitive landscapes, including agricultural paddy fields and traditional salt pans, which play an important role in maintaining biodiversity, groundwater recharge and the state's ecological balance.
The notification has been issued under the Regional Plan framework and forms part of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department's ongoing programme to identify and protect environmentally sensitive areas from developmental activities. By classifying these parcels as No Development Zones, the government aims to restrict construction and other forms of urban development that could adversely affect natural habitats and agricultural land.
The latest notification follows the TCP Department's initiative launched earlier this month to designate large stretches of environmentally sensitive land across Goa as NDZs. The broader exercise is intended to preserve the coastal state's natural landscapes, wetlands and agricultural heritage while ensuring that future urban growth remains consistent with environmental planning objectives.
Salcete is among Goa's most rapidly urbanising talukas, with sustained residential, tourism and infrastructure development increasing pressure on open land and environmentally significant areas. The expanded NDZ coverage is expected to provide additional statutory protection to vulnerable ecosystems that have faced growing development pressures in recent years.
The government's latest decision adds substantially to the protected land inventory within Salcete and reflects an increasing emphasis on integrating environmental conservation into regional planning. By protecting paddy fields, salt pans and other ecologically sensitive areas from future development, the notification seeks to balance urban expansion with the long-term preservation of Goa's natural resources and agricultural landscapes under the state's Regional Plan.
Source - PTI
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