Nearly 45 lakh square metres of green land are proposed for conversion in Pedne taluka, affecting 18 villages under Sections 17(2) and 39A of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act.
Of this, approximately 85%—equivalent to 37,58,061 square metres—is located in six coastal villages of the northernmost taluka: Mandrem, Corgao, Arambol (Harmal), Morjim, Chopdem, and Parcem.
Following public protests, only one provisional conversion permission under Section 39A in Arambol (Harmal) was cancelled in January. This cancellation involved an orchard and a No Development Slope, together measuring approximately three lakh square metres.
Similarly, land conversion for orchards exceeding one lakh square metres in Chopdem village, sought under Section 17(2), has been stayed by the Bombay High Court at Goa. The land is sought to be converted by Brahm Agro Terra Projects Limited, Bangalore.
While legal disputes and local protests continue, the Town and Country Planning Department has, under Section 39A, notified 22 applications covering 2,61,546 square metres. These areas include paddy fields, cultivable land, irrigated areas, orchards, No Development Slopes, and forested land.
Source: Assembly replies
Read in pdf format the above chart of 39A & 17(2) in Pedne
Mandrem village accounts for one-fourth of the total proposed land conversions, with over 11 lakh square metres. Of this, just over 8.15 lakh square metres fall under Section 17(2), and nearly three lakh square metres under Section 39A.
Corgao and Arambol (Harmal) have similar figures, with approximately 7.19 lakh square metres in Corgao and around 6.92 lakh square metres in Arambol (Harmal).
The central and eastern regions of Pedne are also affected, with nearly 12 villages facing the proposed conversion of green cover, cultivable land, and forests.
After significant protests by residents of Harmal, TCP Minister Vishajit Rane cancelled the provisional conversion of approximately three lakh square metres of land under survey numbers 275/0 and 242/0. The land was associated with the group of applicants: Kishore Kumar, Kaya Kailesh, and Rajendra Singla, represented by Kapil Sharma.
The same group has also applied for land conversion under Section 17(2) for over 3.53 lakh square metres in the same area of Arambol (Harmal) village. Of this, one lakh square metres of orchard are under survey number 275/0, and the remaining 2.5 lakh square metres of orchard are under survey number 242/0.
There are a total of 158 applications for land conversion to settlement under Section 17(2) and 162 applications under Section 39A, collectively covering over 18 lakh square metres.
A notable applicant is Preetham Reddy Nalla, operating through Gangareddy Infra Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad. The company has requested the conversion of green zones in Morjim village into settlements, covering over 5.26 lakh square metres—1.93 lakh square metres under Section 17(2) and 3.33 lakh square metres under Section 39A.
Idea Business Solutions has similarly applied for the conversion of orchard land to settlement under Section 17(2) in Mandrem, totalling approximately 4.14 lakh square metres.
Mandrem Hotels Pvt Ltd, owned by the Sawhney family, has sought the conversion of over 4.18 lakh square metres in Mandrem—about 1.90 lakh under Section 17(2) and 2.28 lakh under Section 39A.
You may click the links below to find a complete list of land conversions sought under Sections 17(2) and 39A, in Pedne taluka, village-wise.
