Goa Declares 82 Lakh Sq Mt No Development Zone To Shield Hills, Centre Notifies 6729 Hectares Along Mandovi-Zuari As Eco-Sensitive

Panaji: The Goa government has notified more than 82 lakh square metres of land as a no-development zone (NDZ), the officials from the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department confirmed. The officials stated that the move is a bid to rein in unchecked building on its fragile terrain. The government's decision is to protect ecologically sensitive hill slopes and mounds that have come under pressure from rapid construction and land levelling in recent years.

According to reports, the TCP Board has given its approval to the proposal, which brings areas such as Majorda and Gonsua under the NDZ umbrella. In total, upwards of 82,85,000 square metres will now be off-limits to new projects. The government’s note on the move stated, “Over 82 Lakh Sq Mts Declared No Development Zone,” adding that the step is intended to stop the flattening of hills and safeguard the state’s natural contours. 

The officials stated that Goa’s conservation drive received further weight this week after the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change cleared a proposal from the state Forest Department to designate 6.72 crore square metres along the Mandovi and Zuari rivers as ‘eco-sensitive’. The Centre's nod effectively empowered the state to block any further development across 6,729.54 hectares of riverine land that is vital to maintaining ecological balance.

Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane stated that the approval was crucial for protecting the delicate river ecosystems that sustain fishing, groundwater recharge and flood control. The forest department had earlier written to the Town and Country Planning Department, making it clear that no construction should be permitted in the zone. Further, over recent months, Minister Rane has also directed the officials to clamp down on unregulated activity along these waterways, asserting that piecemeal development was threatening Goa’s natural lifelines.

In addition to it, the government is reportedly not stopping at hills and rivers, as the Goa minister confirmed that the administration is now moving to bring rice fields and other low-lying areas under the No Development Zone framework using existing legal provisions. “Rice fields and low-lying areas will be declared NDZ to protect the ecology,” Vishwajit Rane said, underlining that the policy is designed to prevent the misuse of agricultural land and preserve the state’s remaining green cover.

The officials stated that, altogether, the measures reflected a hardening stance in Panaji against the conversion of natural and agricultural landscapes for real estate. With both the state and Centre now aligned on key eco-sensitive demarcations, the challenge will shift to enforcement on the ground, where pressure from tourism and housing demand remains intense.