Probe claim of dodgy fee cut by TCP for zone changes: HC to Goa govt

Panaji: The high court has called on the chief secretary to look into the allegations in a PIL regarding the undervaluation of zone-change fees by the town and country planning (TCP) department. The HC wants appropriate action, as the PIL has alleged a loss of crores to the exchequer due to the undercut fees.
“Prima facie, the allegations made in the petition, if found to be correct, are quite serious as they directly affect the revenue of the state, ultimately the public exchequer,” said the division bench comprising justices M S Karnik and Nivedita Mehta.
The court also told state govt to submit a report within four weeks on the steps taken to initiate recovery.
“We expect a thorough inquiry into the matter considering the huge loss of revenue that could have occurred but for the timely objection of the finance department,” the HC said.
During the hearing, advocate general Devidas Pangam told the HC that the recovery of deficit fees is being initiated.
He said that on Aug 1, 2024, the finance department wrote to the chief town planner stating that these levies are not in accordance with the notification.
He also told the court that a preliminary investigation has already been initiated by the director of vigilance into the matter and the report will be submitted in a sealed cover to the HC.
The petitioners, Swapnesh Sherlekar and others, filed the PIL alleging that the TCP deliberately undervalued the calculation of fees for the correction of zones under Section 17(2) of the TCP Act. The PIL alleged that the TCP applied the old rate of Rs 200 per square metre instead of Rs 1,000 per square metre as stipulated by the new notification of March 28, 2024.
The PIL cited one case in which govt had approved the rectification/correction of 89,500sqm to a settlement zone. The PIL said the TCP department, instead of assessing Rs 8.9 crore fees under the Rs 1,000 per square metre rate, calculated fees of Rs 1.7 crore under the Rs 200 per square metre rate.
Thus, the department caused a loss to the exchequer to the tune of Rs 7.1 crore, the petitioners, represented by advocate Rohit Bras de Sa, submitted to the HC.
The petitioners further submitted that the total number of cases published under Section 17(2) since April 2024 is 120, where the fees collected are much less than prescribed in the notification.
The HC told govt to verify and take immediate steps to start the recovery if warranted.