Revolutionary Goans Party MLA Viresh Borkar ended his fast unto death on Thursday after the Goa government agreed to cancel projects approved under Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act in his St Andre Assembly constituency. The protest, which lasted six days at Azad Maidan, drew attention to growing public concerns over zoning powers granted under the controversial provision and broader debates surrounding land-use regulation in the state.
Borkar called off the fast after North Goa Collector Ankit Yadav met him at the protest site and handed over an official letter confirming the cancellation of all projects sanctioned under Section 39A within the constituency. Announcing the end of his agitation, the MLA said that while the immediate demand had been met, his broader campaign to protect Goa’s land and environment would continue.
Section 39A of the TCP Act has been contentious because it empowers the Chief Town Planner to convert non-settlement zones into settlement areas, effectively allowing construction activity in previously restricted regions. Borkar had opposed zoning changes proposed in Pale-Siridao village, arguing that the provision enabled unchecked development and threatened local ecological balance and community interests.
The protest also led to legal controversy earlier in the week. Police registered a case against Borkar and 28 others, accusing them of stealing files and other items from the Town and Country Planning Department during a demonstration at the office of Chief Town Planner Vertika Dagur in Panaji’s Patto area on February 20. The protestors had remained inside the office overnight, and Borkar was later removed from the premises by authorities the following morning.
Supporters of the MLA rejected the allegations, calling them baseless and pointing out that police personnel were present throughout the protest and that the premises were under CCTV surveillance. Tribal leader Govind Shirodkar described the charges as unreasonable, arguing that the circumstances made such accusations implausible.
The episode underscores continuing tensions in Goa over land-use policies and urban planning decisions, with critics of Section 39A arguing that it grants excessive discretionary power to planning authorities. Although the immediate dispute in St Andre has been resolved through the cancellation of projects, the larger political and policy debate over zoning laws under the TCP Act remains unresolved.
