Panjim: The gloves are off and the knives are out in the open. Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vishwajit Rane launched a drive against illegal constructions and sanads in the State on June 9.Prominent among those affected by Rane’s initiative included the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Calangute MLA and Congress leader Michael Lobo, who has been issued showcause notices of illegalities in regard to two of his hotel resorts in the popular Baga area of Calangute in Goa.Talking to media in Panjim on June 9, the TCP Minister warned that if no correct answers were received in this regard, then Lobo’s two resorts would be demolished as both are fit cases for demolition. “The suspension cases are fit for demolition and, during my tenure as Minister, iwill see both structures demolished,” he emphasized.Noting that action would be taken in this context under the “Prevention of Corruption Act”, Rane told media that no fresh sanads would-be issued, while in the suspended ODPs matter,  a 10-member committee has been formed to scrutinize and review with their report submission in 60 days.“We will table the names of those who have personally abused powers and action will be taken against all of them,” Rane said, adding “Once we submit that report, we will expose how much property conversion has been done by that person.”The Minister assured that the TCP department would consult the concerned stakeholders while reworking the draft ODPs and zoning plans for urban areas. Pointing out that illegalities found would see the related matters being restored to their original status, he said that the areas to be excluded or reverted were tenanted areas, khazan lands.While Rane has levelled allegations of malfeasance against Lobo since suspending the ODPs, an FIR has also been registered at Mapuca police station against Lobo and his MLA wife Delilah Lobo.Meanwhile, Lobo has been asked by the NGPDA to stop using the two hotels until disposal of the related showcause notices. He has been asked to reply within 7days to the showcause notice as to why demolition of the “illegal constructions” should not be carried out under Section 52 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1974.However, the Calangute MLA has questioned the “rationale “ of the TCP minister +selectively suspending+ the Outline Development Plans, which had been approved by the BJP during its previous tenure.Alleging “ulterior motives “ and “one-upmanship” in the suspension of the ODPs, the Congress leader urged the intervention of the Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant in this context while also noting that this matter could be challenged in court.Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has expressed his willingness to step in to solve this issue – which has witnessed a war of words between Rane and Lobo. Sawant said he would view the recording of the press conference and step in after going through it.Meanwhile, even as the TCP minister posted the ODPs suspensions on Facebook, significant developments of the TCP Board’s recent meeting highlighted granting transferable development rights in regard to private forests and low-lying areas, and preparing local area development plans for fast-developing towns and villages.All heritage sites will be earmarked as per the Regional Development Plan with a development control line/regulated area around the monuments, as prescribed under various provisions of the law, the board stated.In another sudden decision, the TCP Board took back from the Planning and Development Authority (PDA) the responsibility of preparing “Outline Development Plans” for the State capital Panjim, Mapuca, Kadamba plateau and Mormugao.Meanwhile, the coastal villages of Goa like Calangute, Baga have been witnessing police raids on illegal massage parlours  in the wake of the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant’s visit.Two massage parlours run by operators fromTamil Nadu and Kerala were found to be functioning illegally, police said.Criticising Rane’s +first of its kind+ nationally measure in granting 400 “floor area ratio+ (FAR) on the Kadamba plateau in Goa, Lobo said that implementing this measure could cause the heritage church complex in Old Goa to lose its UNESCO world heritage status. “They want to create a satellite township beside a world heritage site,” he added.